We had yet to learn that the Devil created youth so that we could make our mistakes, and that God established maturity and old age so that we could pay for them.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
Time goes faster the more hollow it is. Lives with no meaning go straight past you, like trains that don’t stop at your station.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A life lacking meaning passes quickly, unnoticed, similar to trains that pass by without stopping.
This quote suggests that time feels fleeting when one is not engaged in meaningful activities or experiences. It highlights the importance of purpose and fulfillment in life, as without them, moments can easily slip away, making time seem to hasten unrealistically.
Themes
TimeMeaningLifeExistencePurpose
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote when discussing the importance of finding purpose in life during a seminar.
More from Carlos Ruiz Zafon
All quotes →The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me, Madrid is a man and Barcelona is a woman. And it's a woman who's extremely vain.
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I think today will be the day. Today our luck will change,' I proclaimed on the wings of the first coffee of the day, pure optimism in a liquid state.
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We spend a good part of our lives dreaming, especially when we're awake.
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Destiny is usually just around the corner. Like a thief, a hooker, or a lottery vendor: its three most common personifications. But what destiny does not do is home visits. You have to go for it.
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Destiny doesn't do home visits... you have to go for it yourself.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
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