She had been wrong to think it wouldn't matter that much to him, yes,He took her for granted, of course he did , but he took her for granted - not like an old coat in the corner of a dark cupboard, as she'd put it to herself , but like the very air that he breathed .
Interpretation
This quote reflects on the importance of appreciation in relationships, highlighting how taking someone for granted can be deeper than neglect.
In this quote, Ahdaf Soueif conveys a poignant message about the often-unseen emotional dynamics in relationships. The speaker realizes that being taken for granted can manifest in profound ways, akin to how one perceives the essentiality of air. This emphasizes that neglect in a relationship, even if it appears subtle, can lead to feelings of invisibility and unimportance, suggesting that acknowledgment and appreciation are vital for mutual respect and love.
In practice
During a conversation about relationship dynamics, one might use this quote to illustrate the subtle ways in which partners can overlook each other's needs.
I haven't come to you only to take , I haven't come to you empty handed : I bring you poetry as great as yours but in anther tongue , I bring you black eyes and golden skin and curly hair , I bring you Islam and Luxor and Alexandria and Lutes and tambourines and date-palms and silk rugs and sunshine and incense and voluptuous ways
It is that happy stretch of time when the lovers set to chronicling their passion. When no glance, no tone of voice is so fleeting but it shines with significance. When each moment, each perception is brought out with care, unfolded like a precious gem from its layers of the softest tissue paper and laid in front of the beloved — turned this way and that, examined, considered.
It is easier to tell a story of how people wound one another than of what binds them together.
I wondered how many people there were in the world who suffered, and continued to suffer, because they could not break out from their own web of shyness and reserve, and in their blindness and folly built up a great distorted wall in front of them that hid the truth.
The more specific you are about a very general feeling of loneliness is actually how you connect with people.
Every man rejoices twice when he has a partner in his joy. He who shares tears with us wipes them away. He divides them in two, and he who laughs with us makes the joy double.
If you have the opportunity to do amazing things in your life, I strongly encourage you to invite someone to join you.
You young men need to know that you can hardly achieve your highest potential without the influence of a good women, particularly you mother, and in a few years, a good wife.
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