We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.
Madeline MillerRead
Perhaps it is the greatest grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The deep sorrow of losing someone is compounded by the experience of continuing to live without them.
This quote reflects on the profound grief that accompanies the death of a loved one, emphasizing that one of the greatest hardships in life is the struggle to carry on in a world where someone significant is no longer present. It highlights the emotional burden of surviving after a loss, drawing attention to the loneliness and heartache that persist even as life moves forward.
Themes
GriefLossMourningLoveLifeMemories
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote during a eulogy to express the deep pain of losing a loved one.
More from Madeline Miller
All quotes βWhen I first started studying Greek, one of my absolute favorite parts was realizing that so many English words had these old, secret roots. Learning Greek was like being given a super-power: linguistic x-ray vision.
Madeline MillerRead
I found myself grinning until my cheeks hurt, my scalp prickling till I thought it might lift off my head. My tongue ran away from me, giddy with freedom. This, and this, and this, I said to him. I did not have to fear that I spoke too much. I did not have to worry that I was too slender, or too slow. This and this and this! I taught him how to skip stones, and he taught me how to carve wood. I could feel every nerve in my body, every brush of air against my skin.
Madeline MillerRead
I stopped watching for ridicule, the scorpion's tail hidden in his words. He said what he meant; he was puzzled if you did not. Some people might have mistaken this for simplicity. But is it not a sort of genius to cut always to the heart?
Madeline MillerRead
Chiron had said once that nations were the most foolish of mortal inventions. "No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.
Madeline MillerRead
Similar quotes
And, Joey, if you ever want to know about the japonicas and the daisy fields it will be alright that you have forgotten because I will be able to tell you about how it felt to be feeling that way you cannot quite remember β that will be for the time when something happens years from now that reminds you of now.
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Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.
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βLife is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.
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Music saved me; I mean, my upbringing was like a hurricane, and music was the tree I held onto.
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I look into mother's stomach, wonder if you are a boy or a girl_x000D_ _x000D_ Turnin' this woman's womb into a tomb_x000D_ _x000D_ But she and I agree, a seed we don't need_x000D_ _x000D_ You would've been much more than a mouth to feed_x000D_ _x000D_ But someone I would've fed this information I read_x000D_ _x000D_ To someone my life for you I would've had to leave_x000D_ _x000D_ Instead I led you to death.
CommonRead
There are all sorts of losses people suffer - from the small to the large. You can lose your keys, your glasses, your virginity. You can lose your head, you can lose your heart, you can lose your mind. You can relinquish your home to move into assisted living, or have a child move overseas, or see a spouse vanish into dementia. Loss is more than just death, and grief is the gray shape-shifter of emotion.
Jodi PicoultRead