A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
And I say also this. I do not think the forest would be so bright, nor the water so warm, nor love so sweet, if there were no danger in the lakes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Danger enhances the beauty and value of love and nature.
C. S. Lewis suggests that the presence of danger in life amplifies our appreciation for the beauty around us, particularly in nature and love. Without the possibility of risk, such experiences would not hold the same depth or significance, as they encourage us to cherish and value what we have even more.
Themes
DangerLoveNatureAppreciationBeauty
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion on the beauty of life experiences.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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