My reaction to porno films is as follows: After the first ten minutes, I want to go home and screw. After the first twenty minutes, I never want to screw again as long as I live.
Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love and loyalty. They depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog; it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs, your heart is very big.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the deep emotional impact that dogs have on our lives, teaching us about love, loyalty, and the pain of loss.
Erica Jong's quote highlights the profound relationship humans have with dogs, illustrating how these animals not only bring joy and companionship but also serve as teachers of vital life lessons such as love and loyalty. The departure of a beloved dog teaches us about loss, yet the arrival of a new dog signifies the expansion of our capacity to love; thus, those who have experienced love for multiple dogs possess a heart that is capable of immense love and resilience.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a pet adoption event, I shared this quote to convey the deep bond people form with their dogs.
More from Erica Jong
All quotes →I have accepted fear as a part of life - specifically the fear of change... I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.
No one ever found wisdom without also being a fool. Writers, alas, have to be fools in public, while the rest of the human race can cover its tracks.
My generation was not only maligned in book reviews and attacked in graduate school but we lived to see our adored and adorable daughters wonder why feminism had become a dirty word.
Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more.
I believe that women should live for love, for motherhood and for intellect, and I believe we shouldn't have to choose. And I believe that's always been difficult for women, to express themselves intellectually, maternally, and passionately.
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