The poet is one who is able to keep the fresh vision of the child alive.
Anais NinRead
One discovers that destiny can be diverted, that one does not have to remain in bondage to the first wax imprint made on childhood sensibilities. Once the deforming mirror has been smashed, there is a possibility of wholeness. There is a possibility of joy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the power of self-discovery and the ability to change one’s destiny despite early influences.
Anais Nin's quote reflects on the idea that individuals are not doomed to repeat the patterns established during childhood. Instead, it suggests that through self-awareness and breaking free from the constraints of past experiences, one can achieve a sense of completeness and joy in life. The metaphor of a 'deforming mirror' implies that perceptions formed in youth can distort reality, but through introspection and transformation, one can uncover a more authentic and fulfilling existence.
Themes
DestinyTransformationSelf-DiscoveryJoyChildhoodGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire your audience during a motivational talk about personal growth.
More from Anais Nin
All quotes →Anxiety is love's greatest killer, because it is like the stranglehold of the drowning.
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We celebrate peace. Yet we pay no attention to the ways of curing aggression in human beings. And when one sees in psychoanalysis hostility disappearing as people conquer their fears, one wonders if the cure is not there.
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The impetus to grow and live intensely is so powerful in me I cannot resist it. I will work, I will love my husband, but I will fulfill myself.
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We have been poisoned by fairy tales.
Anais NinRead
But I lie. I embellish. My words are not deep enough. They disguise, they conceal. I will not rest until I have told of my descent into a sensuality which was as dark, as magnificent, as wild, as my moments of mystic creation have been dazzling, ecstatic, exalted.
Anais NinRead
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