Heart, we will forget him, You and I, tonight! You must forget the warmth he gave, I will forget the light.
Emily DickinsonRead
How do most people live without any thought? There are many people in the world,--you must have noticed them in the street,--how do they live? How do they get strength to put on their clothes in the morning?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote questions the nature of existence and the unconscious way many people navigate their daily lives.
Emily Dickinson's quote reflects her curiosity about the human experience and the seemingly automatic routines people follow without deep reflection. It challenges the reader to consider how individuals find motivation and purpose in their lives, particularly in the mundane tasks of everyday existence. This inquiry into the nature of life and consciousness underscores a sense of wonder about how people persevere and find the strength to carry on with their routines despite not always questioning their meaning.
Themes
ExistenceReflectionConsciousnessRoutineMotivation
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about mindfulness, this quote can emphasize the importance of living with intention.
More from Emily Dickinson
All quotes →I held a jewel in my fingers And went to sleep. The day was warm, and winds were prosy; I said: "'T will keep." I woke and chid my honest fingers,— The gem was gone; And now an amethyst remembrance Is all I own.
Emily DickinsonRead
I'll tell you how the sun rose, a ribbon at a time. The steeples swam in amethyst, The news like squirrels ran. The hills untied their bonnets, The bobolinks begun. Then I said softly to myself, "That must have been the sun!
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My best Acquaintances are those With Whom I spoke no Word
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This is the Hour of Lead- Remembered, if outlived, As freezing persons, recollect the Snow- First-Chill-then Stupor- then the letting go---
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Luck is not chance, it's toil; fortune's expensive smile is earned.
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