Of all the things a man may do, sleep probably contributes most to keeping him sane. It puts brackets about each day. If you do something foolish or painful today, you get irritated if somebody mentions it, today. If it happened yesterday, though, you can nod or chuckle, as the case may be. You've crossed through nothingness or dream to another island in Time.
Interpretation
Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining mental well-being and perspective on daily events.
This quote by Roger Zelazny emphasizes the importance of sleep as a mental reset that helps individuals cope with daily challenges and emotional turmoil. By framing our experiences within the context of sleep, we gain a sense of distance from painful or foolish actions, allowing us to process events with a clearer mind and find humor or solace in them as time passes.
In practice
Using this quote during a mental health seminar to highlight the importance of rest.
In the mirrors of the many judgments, my hands are the color of blood. I sometimes fancy myself an evil which exists to oppose other evils; and on that great Day of which the prophets speak but in which they do not truly believe, on the day the world is utterly cleansed of evil, then I too will go down into darkness, swallowing curses. Until then, I will not wash my hands nor let them hang useless.
It would be nice if there were some one thing constant and unchanging in the universe. If there is such a thing, then it is a thing which would have to be stronger than love, and it is a thing which I do not know.
One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say.
Embrace simplicity. Put others first. Desire little.
The fellow that can only see a week ahead is always the popular fellow, for he is looking with the crowd. But the one that can see years ahead, he has a telescope but he can't make anybody believe that he has it.
Common sense (which, in truth, is very uncommon) is the best sense I know of: abide by it; it will counsel you best.
The harder you try to suppress the truth, the more inevitable it is that it will find a way to come out.
Captain Shotover: How much does your soul eat? Ellie: Oh, a lot. It eats music and pictures and books and mountains and lakes and beautiful things to wear and nice people to be with.
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