Meg was going to have to learn for herself what Laurie had figured out over the summer - that it was better to leave well enough alone, to avoid unnecessary encounters with the people you'd left behind, to not keep poking at that sore tooth with the tip of your tongue. Not because you didn't love them anymore, but because you did, and because that love was useless now, just another dull ache in your phantom limb.
Interpretation
Sometimes it's better to let go of the past and avoid unnecessary interactions with those we've moved on from, even if we still love them.
This quote from Tom Perrotta explores the complexities of love and the importance of recognizing when to move on from relationships that no longer serve us. It suggests that lingering attachments to people we've left behind can lead to unnecessary pain, and that sometimes, even love can be a burden when it cannot be expressed or reciprocated, much like an ache in a phantom limb. Understanding when to distance ourselves from former connections can be an essential part of personal growth and healing.
In practice
In a speech about personal growth, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of moving on from past relationships.
I'm not sure that it's possible to write a novel about people who don't transgress or stumble, people who don't surprise themselves with the things they do, people who can explain all their actions with perfect logical consistency. At least it's not possible for me to write that sort of novel.
Only my books anoint me, and a few friends, those who reach into my veins.
Marriage is about love, but it is not first and foremost about love. First and foremost, marriage is about continuity and transmission.
The reason we form networks is because the benefits of a connected life outweigh the costs. It's to our advantage as individuals and a species to assemble ourselves in this fashion.
For anyone who says 'Who cares if you're gay? It's 2018,' well, a lot of people care because a lot of people had the opportunity to be out, and there's been a lot of fear surrounding it. This is the first time we're seeing representation, and because of that, it is a big deal.
Trust is like the air we breathe--when it's present, nobody really notices; when it's absent, everybody notices.
When you say, 'I'm sorry,' you turn people into your allies, even your partners.
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