Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
Here my tears are falling, Nastenka. Let them flow, let them flow - they don't hurt anybody. They will dry Nastenka.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the emotional release of tears associated with love and longing, indicating that showing vulnerability is not harmful.
In this quote, Fyodor Dostoevsky highlights the importance of allowing oneself to express emotions freely, particularly in the context of love and longing. The tears symbolize a release of pent-up feelings, suggesting that vulnerability can ultimately lead to healing and connection, especially in the relationship with Nastenka. The acceptance of these tears signifies that they do not harm anyone, implying that expressing one's deeper emotions is a natural and necessary part of human experience.
Themes
TearsEmotionVulnerabilityLoveLonging
In practice
Example use cases
In a heartfelt speech, one might say, 'As Dostoevsky once expressed, my tears are falling, and like him, I understand that they do not hurt anyone.'
More from Fyodor Dostoevsky
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Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled.
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Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
But do you understand, I cry to him, do you understand that if you have the guillotine in the forefront, and with such glee, it's for the sole reason that cutting heads off is the easiest thing, and having an idea is difficult!
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
...to return to their 'native soil,' as they say, to the bosom, so to speak, of their mother earth, like frightened children, yearning to fall asleep on the withered bosom of their decrepit mother, and to sleep there for ever, only to escape the horrors that terrify them.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
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