When it aims to express a love of the world it refuses to conceal the many reasons why the world is hard to love, though we must love it because we have no other, and to fail to love it is not to exist at all.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the necessity of loving the world despite its challenges, as love is essential for existence.
Mark Van Doren's quote highlights the complexity of love, particularly towards the world. It acknowledges that while there are numerous reasons to find the world difficult to love, it is imperative to cultivate that love as it is fundamental to our existence. In essence, the refusal to love the world equates to a denial of life itself, suggesting that love is a vital force that connects us to our reality.
In practice
In a speech about environmentalism, to inspire a perspective shift towards loving our planet despite its flaws.
It’s a curious thing. I suppose most people think of artists as impatient but I don’t know of any first-rate artist who hasn’t manifested in his career an appalling patience, a willingness to wait and to do his best now in the expectation that next year he will do better.
Any piece of knowledge I acquire today has a value at this moment exactly proportional to my skill to deal with it. Tomorrow, when I know more, I recall that piece of knowledge and use it better.
Love renders all of our plans and all of our hopes a gamble.
The mystery of poverty is that by sharing in it, making ourselves poor in giving to others, we increase our knowledge of and belief in love.
You need the living, loving heart of living, loving men and women to quicken other hearts, which can live too and love too, and, in their turn, will quicken others which are dying now.
In the kitchens of love, after all, vice is like the pepper in a good sauce; it brings out the flavor, it’s indispensable.
Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.
As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.
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