And enough for me that when my hand touched your shoulder, you leaned on me; and when you felt me slip away, you called my name.
Orson Scott CardRead
Death is not a tragedy to the one who dies; to have wasted the life before that death, that is the tragedy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The real tragedy in life is not death itself, but living a life without purpose or fulfillment.
In this quote, Orson Scott Card emphasizes that death should not be seen as the ultimate tragedy; instead, it is the failure to live a meaningful and purposeful life that constitutes a greater tragedy. The essence of life is not measured by its length but by the experiences and fulfillment achieved during that time. Therefore, the focus should be on how we live rather than the inevitability of death.
Themes
DeathTragedyLifePurposeMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a graduation speech to inspire students to live meaningful lives.
More from Orson Scott Card
All quotes →The world is always a democracy in times of flux, and the man with the best voice will win.
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Never mind that the story had turned out to be lies and foolishness—there was always folks stupid enough to say, Where there's smoke there's fire, when the saying should have been, Where there's scandalous lies there's always malicious believers and spreaders-around, regardless of evidence.
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The lives of all people flow through time, and, regardless of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief or pain or fear, time flows through all lives equally.
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You take a step, then another. That's the journey. But to take a step with your eyes open is not a journey at all, it's a remaking of your own mind.
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I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
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