We see it in the body, that if you just give the body enough rest and comfort, it has remarkable self-healing capacities. Well, so does the spirit.
No sooner do we think we have assembled a comfortable life than we find a piece of ourselves that has no place to fit in.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the constant struggle of finding balance and fulfillment in our lives, suggesting that even when we achieve comfort, there remains an aspect of ourselves that feels unfulfilled.
Gail Sheehy's quote highlights the ongoing journey of self-discovery and the complexity of human existence. It suggests that life is not merely about achieving comfort or happiness; instead, it reveals the deeper layers of our identity that often go unacknowledged. As we strive for a comfortable life, we may encounter parts of ourselves that feel alienated or unfulfilled, prompting a continuous exploration of our true desires and needs.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a personal development seminar to discuss the importance of self-exploration.
More from Gail Sheehy
All quotes βI was devastated when I got the review for my first book. The book came out a couple years before the women's movement broke through, and people were putting it down, asking, 'Why does the woman in this book need to get a divorce? Why can't she just shut up and be happy?'
A seasoned woman is spicy. She has been marinated in life experiences. Like a complex wine, she can be alternately sweet, tart, sparkling, mellow. She is both maternal and playful. Assured, alluring, and resourceful.
This is something caregivers have to understand: You have to ask for help. You have to realize that you deserve to ask for help. Because you need to keep on working on your own life.
I found that female pathfinders generally integrate characteristics commonly associated with being women - like the capacity to be intimate - with 'male' ones like ambition and courage.
Being a pathfinder is to be willing to risk failure and still go on.
Similar quotes
And now, I'm glad I didn't know the way it all would end, the way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance, I could've missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the Dance.
All my adult life people have been helping me.
Blues fallin' down like hail And the day keeps on worryin' me There's a hell hound on my trail.
A grief without a pang, void, dark and drear, A drowsy, stifled, unimpassioned grief, Which finds no natural outlet or relief, In word, or sigh, or tear.
I don't regret what I've been through. I've had ups and downs, super highs and some really low lows. I've been so blessed that I could never say, "I wish this didn't happen." It's part of who I am. There's nothing in my life that's so ugh.
Like my mother, I was always saying, 'I'll fix my life one day.' It became clear when I saw her die without fulfilling her dreams that my time was now or maybe never.