Who hasn't sharpened the edge of his soul? When, just as our eyes are opened, we see hate, and just after learning to walk, we are tripped, and just for wanting to love, we are hated, and for no more than touching, we are hurt, which of us hasn't started to arm himself, to make himself sharp, somehow, like a knife, to pay back the hurt?
Interpretation
This quote reflects on the painful experiences of life that can lead us to become defensive and hardened.
Pablo Neruda's quote delves into the inevitable suffering we encounter as we navigate life, from the initial awareness of hate to the painful lessons of love and connection. It suggests that these experiences can lead us to 'sharpen' our souls as a means of self-protection, prompting us to develop defenses against further emotional pain, akin to arming ourselves like a blade in response to the hurt we receive from others.
In practice
During a speech about emotional resilience, one might quote Neruda to illustrate the effect of past pains on our character.
Perhaps this war will pass like the others which divided us leaving us dead, killing us along with the killers but the shame of this time puts its burning fingers to our faces. Who will erase the ruthlessness hidden in innocent blood?
I want to see the thirst inside the syllables I want to touch the fire in the sound: I want to feel the darkness of the cry. I want words as rough as virgin rocks.β - Verb.
Only do not forget, if I wake up crying it's only because in my dream I'm a lost child hunting through the leaves of the night for your hands.
And here am I, budding among the ruins with only sorrow to bite on, as if weeping were a seed and I the earth's only furrow.
Once more I am the silent one who came out of the distance wrapped in cold rain and bells: I owe to earth's pure death the will to sprout.
I learned about life from life itself, love I learned in a single kiss and could teach no one anything except that I have lived with something in common among men.
You were the dead; theirs was the future.
(W)e do not count heads before enforcing the First Amendment.
When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe, you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore.
We are plain quiet folk, and I have no use for adventures. Nasty, disturbing, and uncomfortable things.
Men decided that it was better to pay taxes than to fight among themselves; better to pay tribute to one magnificent robber than to bribe them all.
You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.
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