Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For though from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar.
We needs must love the highest when we see it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote encourages us to embrace and appreciate the highest forms of love and beauty when we encounter them.
Alfred Lord Tennyson's quote suggests that when we encounter the purest and most elevated forms of love or beauty, it is imperative for us to embrace and cherish them. This perspective emphasizes the importance of recognizing and valuing the highest ideals in life, showing that love can elevate our experiences and inspire us to become better individuals. It serves as a reminder that by loving what is highest, we not only enhance our own lives, but also contribute positively to the world around us.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of uplifting relationships, someone might say, 'As Tennyson wisely noted, we needs must love the highest when we see it.'
More from Alfred Lord Tennyson
All quotes →How many a father have I seen, A sober man, among his boys, Whose youth was full of foolish noise.
O Love! what hours were thine and mine, In lands of palm and southern pine; In lands of palm, of orange-blossom, Of olive, aloe, and maize and vine!
Earth is dry to the centre,_x000D_ But spring, a new comer,_x000D_ A spring rich and strange,_x000D_ Shall make the winds blow_x000D_ Round and round,_x000D_ Thro' and thro',_x000D_ Here and there,_x000D_ Till the air_x000D_ And the ground_x000D_ Shall be fill'd with life anew.
O love, O fire! once he drew With one long kiss my whole soul through My lips, as sunlight drinketh dew.
But thy strong Hours indignant work’d their wills, And beat me down and marr’d and wasted me, And tho’ they could not end me, left me maim’d To dwell in presence of immortal youth, Immortal age beside immortal youth, And all I was, in ashes. - Tithonus
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