We who choose to surround ourselves_x000D_ with lives even more temporary than our_x000D_ own, live within a fragile circle;_x000D_ easily and often breached._x000D_ Unable to accept its awful gaps,_x000D_ we would still live no other way._x000D_ We cherish memory as the only_x000D_ certain immortality, never fully_x000D_ understanding the necessary plan.
Interpretation
The quote reflects on the transient nature of life and our relationships, highlighting the fragility of existence.
Irving Townsend's quote emphasizes the impermanence of life and the fragility of the bonds we form with others. By choosing to engage in relationships that are inherently temporary, we acknowledge the pain of loss and the inevitability of change. Despite this, we cherish the memories created during these fleeting moments, finding comfort in the idea that while life is fragile and filled with gaps, it is a way of living that we embrace wholeheartedly.
In practice
During a talk on the importance of cherishing our loved ones, I shared this quote to emphasize the fleeting nature of life.
Another cat? Perhaps. For love there is also a season; its seeds must be resown. But a family cat is not replaceable like a wornout coat or a set of tires. Each new kitten becomes its own cat, and none is repeated. I am four cats old, measuring out my life in friends that have succeeded but not replaced one another.
Living is like working out a long addition sum, and if you make a mistake in the first two totals you will never find the right answer. It means involving oneself in a complicated chain of circumstances.
Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness; So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another, only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.
You live long enough, you lose enough people, you learn to appreciate the memories you have and stop begrudging the ones you never got to make.
In all cultures, the midwife's place is on the threshold of life, where intense human emotions, fear, hope, longing, triumph, and incredible physical power-enable a new human being to emerge. Her vocation is unique.
Experience life in all possible ways -- good-bad, bitter-sweet, dark-light, summer-winter. Experience all the dualities. Don't be afraid of experience, because the more experience you have, the more mature you become.
Life is too short, and the time we waste in yawning never can be regained.
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