A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That's the deal.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Pain and happiness are interconnected; our current struggles arise from the depth of our past joys.
C. S. Lewis suggests that the emotional experiences of pain and happiness are inherently linked. In this quote, he implies that the joy we have experienced in the past contributes to the sadness we may feel presently, as the intensity of our emotional experiences shapes our character and understanding of life's complexities.
Themes
PainHappinessEmotionExperienceLife
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a discussion about how past experiences shape our current emotional state.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes βI enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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