#from

Ah! These commercial interests -- spoiling the finest life under the sun. Why must the sea be used for trade -- and for war as well?...It would have been so much nicer just to sail about, with here and there a port and a bit of land to stretch one's legs on, buy a few books and get a change of cooking for a while. ↗

— Joseph Conrad

#change

to live in this world you must be able to do three things to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go ↗

— Mary Oliver

#poem #poetry #life

The state of Israel must, from time to time, prove clearly that it is strong, and able and willing to use force, in a devastating and highly effective way. If it does not prove this, it will be swallowed up, and perhaps wiped off the face of the earth. ↗

— Moshe Sharett

#clearly #devastating #does #earth #effective

My purpose, my whole life, had been to love him and be with him, to make him happy. I didn’t want to cause any unhappiness now—in that way, I decided it was probably better than he wasn’t here to see this, though I missed him so much at that moment the ache of it was as bad as the strange pains in my belly. ↗

— W. Bruce Cameron

#dogs-loyalty #love #love-from-a-dog #loyal #sad

The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through. ↗

— Alexis de Tocqueville

#american society #aristocratic #breaking #colours #covered

Age of the geek, baby, we rule the world! ↗

— Alec Hardison

#age

Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave. That is his normal condition. Of that I am firmly persuaded. He is made and constructed to that very end. And not only at the present time owing to some casual circumstance, but always, at all times, a decent man is bound to be a coward and a slave. ↗

— Fyodor Dostoyevsky

#fyodor-dostoyevsky #notes-from-the-underground #slave #age

Hephaistion had known for many ages that if a god should offer him one gift in all his lifetime, he would choose this. Joy hit him like a lightning-bolt. ↗

— Mary Renault

#fire-from-heaven #mary-renault #age

Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. ...this book...is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up. ↗

— Stephen King

#writers-on-writing #writing-advice #writing-from-the-heart #writing-philosophy #art

Proper lighting is everything, Julianna. ↗

— Wendelin Van Draanen

#art #lighting #truth #art