But let us not forget that cities are like human beings. They are born, they go through childhood and adolescence, they grow old, and eventually they die
Elif SafakRead
The words that come out of our mouths do not vanish but are perpetually stored in infinite space, and they will come back to us in due time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our spoken words have lasting consequences and will eventually return to us.
This quote by Elif Safak conveys the idea that the words we speak have a significant impact and are not forgotten; rather, they linger and can resurface in our lives. It suggests a deep connection between our expressions and the universe, implying that our thoughts and statements shape our reality and will find their way back to us, whether positively or negatively, as time unfolds.
Themes
WordsConsequencesCommunicationImpactLanguageSpeech
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the power of language, I quoted Elif Safak to highlight the importance of thoughtful communication.
More from Elif Safak
All quotes βI like to question cultural biases wherever I go, and I question Islamophobia as much as I question anti-western sentiment because I think all extremist ideologies are very similar.
Elif SafakRead
Stories cannot demolish frontiers, but they can punch holes in our mental walls, and through those holes we can get a glimpse of the other and sometimes even like what we see.
Elif SafakRead
What iβm saying is, my friends, one ought to be able to let go. If a path does not please us, instead of insisting on going that specific way, of making our selfishness the guide, we ought to forsake. The books we cannot write, the films we cannot shoot, the projects we cannot develop, the jobs we cannot pursue and the people who no longer love us. Being able to let go, at times, is the most beautiful of all!
Elif SafakRead
For me, writing stories is one way of feeling connected to the universe and God.
Elif SafakRead
I write as if I were drunk. It is a process of intuition rather than placing myself above my story like a puppeteer pulling strings. For me, it's a scary, chaotic process over which I have little control. Words demand other words, characters resist me.
Elif SafakRead
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Let my thoughts come to you, when I am gone, like the afterglow of sunset at the margin of starry silence.
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It is necessary to remember, as we think critically about domination, that we all have the capacity to act in ways that oppress, dominate, wound (whether or not that power is institutionalized). It is necessary to remember that it is first the potential oppressor within that we must resist β the potential victim within that we must rescue β otherwise we cannot hope for an end to domination, for liberation.
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