I am a person who continually destroys the possibilities of a future because of the numbers of alternative viewpoints I can focus on the present.
Doris LessingRead
The world is only tolerable because of the empty places in it...when the world's filled up, we'll have to get hold of a star. Any star. Venus, or Mars. Get hold of it and leave it empty. Man needs an empty space somewhere for his spirit to rest in.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of empty spaces in life for personal peace and reflection.
Doris Lessing's quote suggests that the world offers a balance between fullness and emptiness, highlighting the necessity of having 'empty places' where individuals can find solace. In a society filled with distractions and demands, these empty spaces allow the spirit to rest and rejuvenate, ultimately leading to a healthier relationship with the world around us. The mention of seeking out stars metaphorically conveys the idea of finding inner peace and tranquility amidst life's chaos.
Themes
EmptinessSpaceBalanceInner PeaceRest
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about mental health, one could emphasize the importance of taking breaks and creating empty spaces in our lives.
More from Doris Lessing
All quotes βIn the writing process, the more the story cooks, the better. The brain works for you even when you are at rest. I find dreams particularly useful. I myself think a great deal before I go to sleep and the details sometimes unfold in the dream.
Doris LessingRead
Humanity's legacy of stories and storytelling is the most precious we have. All wisdom is in our stories and songs. A story is how we construct our experiences. At the very simplest, it can be: 'He/she was born, lived, died.' Probably that is the template of our stories - a beginning, middle, and end. This structure is in our minds.
Doris LessingRead
There is a great line of women stretching out behind you into the past, and you have to seek them out and find them in yourself and be conscious of them.
Doris LessingRead
The World War I, I'm a child of World War I. And I really know about the children of war. Because both my parents were both badly damaged by the war. My father, physically, and both mentally and emotionally. So, I know exactly what it's like to be brought up in an atmosphere of a continual harping on the war.
Doris LessingRead
You should write, first of all, to please yourself. You shouldn't care a damn about anybody else at all. But writing can't be a way of life - the important part of writing is living. You have to live in such a way that your writing emerges from it.
Doris LessingRead
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