Its the most breathtakingly ironic things about living: the fact that we are all-identical twins included-alone. Singular. And yet what we seek-what saves us-is our connection to others.
But I think this: that whatever prices I've paid, whatever sorrows I shoulder, well, I have blessings, too. Not just my family now, but the others-the ones who have died...They're with me still. They're here...
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the balance of grief and gratitude, recognizing both loss and the presence of blessings in one's life.
In this quote, Wally Lamb shares a poignant reflection on the interplay of sorrow and gratitude. He acknowledges the struggles and prices paid throughout life, yet he emphasizes that alongside these challenges, there are numerous blessings, particularly highlighting the enduring connection with loved ones who have passed away. Lamb suggests that the memories and experiences with these individuals continue to accompany him, affirming that while grief is a part of life, so too is the richness of cherished relationships.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about overcoming personal challenges, one might refer to this quote to highlight the importance of recognizing blessings amid hardships.
More from Wally Lamb
All quotes →I thought about how love was always the thing that did that - smashed into you, left you raw. The deeper you loved, the deeper it hurt.
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I've been baking bread and looking after the baby...Everyone else who has asked me that question over the last few years says. 'But what else have you been doing?' To which I say, 'Are you kidding?' Because bread and babies, as every housewife knows, is a full-time job. After I made the loaves [of bread,] I felt like I had conquered something. But as I watched the bread being eaten, I thought, Well, Jesus, don't I get a gold record or knighted or nothing?
LIVE for LIFE, but let live everybody
You can plan all you want to. You can lie in your morning bed and fill whole notebooks with schemes and intentions. But within a single afternoon, within hours or minutes, everything you plan and everything you have fought to make yourself can be undone as a slug is undone when salt is poured on him. And right up to the moment when you find yourself dissolving into foam you can still believe you are doing fine.
No one asked me to be an actor, so no one owed me. There was no entitlement.
All my adult life people have been helping me.
A broom is drearily sweeping up the broken pieces of yesterday's life.