A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.
Neil GaimanRead
Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life is unpredictable, and sometimes challenges can lead to unexpected positive outcomes.
This quote by Neil Gaiman reflects on the unpredictable nature of life and how experiences, both positive and negative, shape our existence. It suggests that while some challenges may feel overwhelming or damaging, they can also lead to growth and unexpected success. The metaphor of falling and flying represents the duality of failure and triumph, emphasizing that overcoming adversity can sometimes lead to newfound strengths and possibilities.
Themes
LifeFallFlyFailureGrowthAdversity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used as an inspirational message during a graduation ceremony to motivate students facing life's challenges.
More from Neil Gaiman
All quotes →Jesus. Low-Key Lyesmith," said Shadow. and then he heard what he was saying and he understood. "Loki," he said. "Loki Lie-smith." "You're slow," said Loki, "but you get there in the end." And his lips twisted into a scarred smile and the embers danced in the shadows of his eyes.
Neil GaimanRead
As a teenager I wrote to R.A. Lafferty. And he responded, too, with letters that were like R.A. Lafferty short stories, filled with elliptical answers to straight questions and simple answers to complicated ones.
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The important thing to understand about American history, wrote Mr. Ibis, in his leather-bound journal, is that it is fictional, a charcoal-sketched simplicity for the children, or the easily bored.
Neil GaimanRead
Nothing’s changed. You’ll go home. You’ll be bored. You’ll be ignored. No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand. They don’t even get your name right.
Neil GaimanRead
I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend.
Neil GaimanRead
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