Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn't we?
Rose KennedyRead
Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments.
Interpretation
Life is defined by the small, meaningful moments rather than just significant achievements.
This quote emphasizes that the true essence of life lies not in the grand milestones we often strive for, such as accomplishments or accolades, but rather in the everyday moments that bring us joy and fulfillment. It suggests that we should pay attention to and cherish these fleeting instances, as they contribute more significantly to our overall happiness and experience of life.
In practice
In a graduation speech to remind graduates to cherish their experiences.
Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn't we?
Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever remains to them?
I would much rather be known as the mother of a great son than the author of a great book or the painter of a great masterpiece.
Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?
I tell myself that God gave my children many gifts - spirit, beauty, intelligence, the capacity to make friends and to inspire respect. There was only one gift he held back - length of life.
Well, I think that part of being young is not exactly knowing why you do some of the things that you do. And it's by exploring your life or experimenting or making mistakes and learning from them hopefully that you start to forge an identity.
Life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach. But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
I was taught to confront things you can't avoid. Death is one of those things. To live in a society where you're trying not to look at it is stupid because looking at death throws us back into life with more vigour and energy. The fact that flowers don't last for ever makes them beautiful.
The names are the first things to go, after the breath has gone, and the beating of the heart. We keep our memories longer than our names.
Had they known at these moments to be quietly joyful? Most likely not. People mostly did not know enough when they were living life that they were living it.
Even though people may be well known they still hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth - birth, marriage, death.
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