We burned with love for ourselves, all of us, starters of the fire we suffered- our love was the affliction for which only our love was the cure.
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
We are not long-term beings. Not heroes of romances in many volumes. For one gesture, for one word alone, we shall make the effort. We openly admit: our creations will be temporary. We shall have this as our aim: a gesture.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life is transient, and our contributions are often fleeting, yet we strive to create meaningful moments.
In this quote, Jonathan Safran Foer reflects on the ephemeral nature of human existence, emphasizing that while we may not have the luxury of creating lasting legacies, the value of a single gesture or word can be profound. This perspective encourages us to focus not on grandiosity, but on meaningful, genuine acts that can leave an impact, however temporary they may be, highlighting the importance of presence and intention in our interactions.
Themes
LifeMomentGestureTemporaryCreation
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of kindness, you might say, 'As Jonathan Safran Foer reminds us, our creations may be temporary, but even a simple gesture can make a lasting difference.'
More from Jonathan Safran Foer
All quotes →Memory was supposed to fill the time, but it made time a hole to be filled. Each second was two hundred yards, to be walked, crawled. You couldn't see the next hour, it was so far in the distance. Tomorrow was over the horizon, and would take an entire day to reach.
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
She was not crying Which surprised me very much But I understand now That she had found places For her melancholy That were behind more masks Than only her eyes
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What do babies dream of? She must be dreaming of the before-life, just as I dream of the afterlife.
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
A few weeks after the worst day, I started writing lots of letters. I don't know why, but it was one of the only things that made my boots lighter.
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
What is being awake if not interpreting our dreams, or dreaming if not interpreting our wake?
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
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