When men die, they die in fear", he said. "They take everything they need from you, and as a doctor it is your job to give it, to comfort them, to hold their hand. But children die how they have been living - in hope. They don't know what's happening, so they expect nothing, they don't ask you to hold their hand - but you end up needing them to hold yours. With children, you're on your own. Do you understand?
Interpretation
The quote reflects on the contrasting experiences of adults and children in facing death.
Tea Obreht's quote highlights the stark difference between how men and children confront the reality of death. While adults face death burdened by fear and a sense of loss, children approach it with innocence and hope, often surprising caregivers with their resilience. The quote underlines the emotional toll on caregivers, who find themselves seeking comfort from the very children they are trying to support, emphasizing the profound and unexpected lessons that arise in moments of vulnerability.
In practice
This quote can be used in a eulogy to emphasize the innocence of children in the face of loss.
Suddenness," he says. " You do not prepare, you do not explain, you do not apologize. Suddenly, you go. And with you, you take all contemplation, all consideration of your own departure. All the suffering that would have come from knowing comes after you are gone, and you are not a part of it.
It's absolutely fantastic. When I was a kid, my father was always trying to tell me how to be a man, and he said to me, I was maybe 9, and he said to me, 'Philip, whenever you take a nap, take your clothes off, put a blanket on you, and you're going to sleep better.' Well, as with everything, he was right. ... Then the best part of it is that when you wake up, for the first 15 seconds, you have no idea where you are. You're just alive. That's all you know. And it's bliss, it's absolute bliss.
I dance/for the joy of surviving, at the edge of the road.
Sometimes I feel that life is passing me by, not slowly either, but with ropes of steam and spark - spattered wheels and a hoarse roar of power or terror. It's passing, yet I'm the one who's doing all the moving.
Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air; And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair; And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome; But when it comes to living, there is no place like home.
You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.
I've been everywhere in the world, seen everything, had everything a man can have.
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