I came across this quote that I had copied many years ago from Tolstoy’s
War and Peace.
Natasha said:
“You’re like this house, you suffer, you show your wounds, but you still stand.”
It’s odd. Words, quotes, the thoughts and ideas of others come to me in moments. If I write a quote down, it’s usually because I need it at the time. In that single moment, with the particular circumstances of my life, I was snagged by this quote. Sensing its significance, I wrote it down on a scrap of paper (as I tend to do). And, however many years later, I rediscover it. Like a beacon. Or at least a reminder.
I read War and Peace once upon a time. I doubt that I’m going to read it again. But I remember that I valued what I received from it. I went through a brief period of reading Russian literature. Perhaps it was because my life resembled a Russian novel at the time. It seemed I could connect with the array of characters and some of their circumstances in ways that I could not connect with my friends who seemed more frivolous or superficial in those days.
The thing about a quote is that if it continues to resonate over the years, it could be placed in your file of quotes that ring true over time. Do you have such a file?
For today, do you have a favorite quote that you return to time and again and feel either validated, supported or refreshed by? Would you like to share it here under comments? Thanks.
