Where would you like to go, what would you really like to do with your life? See Istanbul, Port Said, Nairobi, Budapest. Write a book. Smoke too many cigarettes. Fall off a cliff but get caught in a tree halfway down. Get shot at a few times in a dark alley on a Morrocan midnight. Love a beautiful woman.
Interpretation
This quote encourages individuals to explore their true desires and aspirations in life, no matter how adventurous or unconventional they may seem.
Ray Bradbury's quote emphasizes the importance of pursuing one's true passions and experiences in life. It highlights the notion that life should be lived fully, embracing both the thrilling and the mundane, while underscoring the value of love and adventure. The diverse activities mentioned reflect a spectrum of experiences that contribute to a richly lived life, suggesting that one should not shy away from risks and profound moments of connection.
In practice
In a motivational speech at a youth conference, someone could use this quote to inspire young individuals to chase their dreams.
I've written about 2,000 short stories; I've only published 300 and I feel I'm still learning. Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he'll eventually make some kind of career for himself as a writer. Ray Bradbury, 1967 interview (Doing the Math - that means for every story he sold, he wrote six "un-publishable" ones. Keep typing!)
I never went to college, so I went to the library.
There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.
I think the sun is a flower, That blooms for just one hour.
The first thing a writer should be is - excited. He should be a thing of fevers and enthusiasms. Without such vigor, he might as well be out picking peaches or digging ditches; God knows it'd be better for his health.
You can't try to do things; you simply must do them.
And I really felt like I would regret never accomplishing my goals on the beach, or missing special moments with my kids, more than I would miss winning a third gold medal.
Being alive is so extraordinary I don’t know why people limit it to riches, pride, security—all of those things life is built on. People miss so much because they want money and comfort and pride, a house and a job to pay for the house. And they have to get a car. You can’t see anything from a car. It’s moving too fast. People take vacations. That’s their reward—the vacation. Why not the life?
All life events are formative. All contribute to what we become, year by year, as we go on growing. As my friend the poet Kenneth Koch once said, You aren't just the age you are. You are all the ages you ever have been!
Do not let Sunday be taken from you. If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan.
I have a living will and I have friends, and I have money and I have hope.
So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.
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