I can never drive my car over a bridge without thinking of suicide. I can never look at a lake or an ocean without thinking of suicide.
Charles BukowskiRead
I sit here drunk now. I am a series of small victories and large defeats and I am as amazed as any other that I have gotten from there to here without committing murder or being murdered; without having ended up in the madhouse. as I drink alone again tonight my soul despite all the past agony thanks all the gods who were not there for me then.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the struggles and triumphs of life, highlighting resilience in the face of adversity.
Charles Bukowski's quote paints a vivid portrait of a tumultuous life filled with both small victories and significant defeats. The speaker expresses a sense of amazement at their survival amidst chaos, acknowledging the pain and struggles faced along the way while simultaneously showing gratitude for the unseen forces that have allowed them to endure. It illustrates the complexity of existence, where moments of despair are intertwined with a sense of accomplishment, leading to a profound appreciation for life despite its challenges.
Themes
ResilienceStruggleGratitudeLifeSurvival
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a motivational talk to inspire those facing challenges.
More from Charles Bukowski
All quotes →when I am feeling low all i have to do is watch my cats and my courage returns
Charles BukowskiRead
The masses are always wrong...Wisdom is doing everything the crowd does not do. All you do is reverse the totality of their learning and you have the heaven they're looking for.
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I'm going to open another vottle. not a vottle, but a bottle. you open it and I'll drink it. and you try to write as much as I did without falling off of your chair.
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To experience real agony is something hard to write about, impossible to understand while it grips you; you're frightened out of your wits, can’t sit still, move, or even go decently insane.
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I lapsed into my pathetic cut-off period. Often with humans, both good and bad, my senses simply shut off, they get tired, I give up. I am polite. I nod. I pretend to understand because I don’t want anybody to be hurt. That is the one weakness that has lead me into the most trouble. Trying to be kind to others I often get my soul shredded into a kind of spiritual pasta. No matter. My brain shuts off. I listen. I respond. And they are too dumb to know that I am not there.
Charles BukowskiRead
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