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.
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on how memory distorts our perception of time, making it feel elongated and burdensome.
In this quote, Jonathan Safran Foer delves into the experience of memory and time, suggesting that rather than merely filling time with recollections, memories can transform our experience into a daunting journey. Each moment feels vast and heavy, isolating us from the present as we struggle to reach what lies ahead, creating a profound sense of distance from the future and an overwhelming heaviness in the present.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of living in the moment, one might say, 'As Jonathan Safran Foer eloquently puts it, memory can make time feel like an insurmountable journey.'
More from Jonathan Safran Foer
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