He had learned long ago that, in general, the easier it was for anxious patients to reach him, the less likely they were to call. (107)
Irvin D. YalomRead
Life is a spark between two identical voids, the darkness before birth and the one after death.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life is fleeting and exists between two emptinesses, symbolizing the temporary nature of existence.
Irvin D. Yalom's quote captures the essence of life as a transient experience, highlighting that our time on Earth is brief and sandwiched between the nothingness that precedes birth and the void that follows death. It prompts reflection on the significance of life amidst this duality, encouraging a deeper appreciation for our existence and experiences.
Themes
LifeVoidExistencePhilosophyDeath
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a philosophy class discussion on the meaning of life.
More from Irvin D. Yalom
All quotes βA curious thought experiment. . . Nietzsche's message to us was to live life in such a way that we would be willing to repeat the same life eternally
Irvin D. YalomRead
A sense of life meaning ensues but cannot be deliberately pursued: life meaning is always a derivative phenomenon that materializes when we have transcended ourselves, when we have forgotten ourselves and become absorbed in someone (or something) outside ourselves
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Marriage and its entourage of possession and jealousy enslave the spirit.
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It is wrong to bear children out of need, wrong to use a child to alleviate loneliness, wrong to provide purpose in life by reproducing another copy of oneself. It is wrong also to seek immortality by spewing one's germ into the future as though sperm contains your consciousness!
Irvin D. YalomRead
I dream of a love that is more than two people craving to possess one another.
Irvin D. YalomRead
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