Life Lessons Quote by Julian Barnes — Inspiring Words on Life, Love & Wisdom

“He always thought that Touie's long illness would somehow prepare him for her death. He always imagined that grief anf guilt, if they followed, would be more clear-edged, more defined, more finite. Instead they seem like weather, like clouds constantly re-forming into new shapes, blown by nameless, unidentifiable winds.”

“Is despair wrong? Isn’t it the natural condition of life after a certain age? … After a number of events, what is there left but repetition and diminishment? Who wants to go on living? The eccentric, the religious, the artistic (sometimes); those with a false sense of their own worth. Soft cheeses collapse; firm cheeses indurate. Both go mouldy.”

“Later on in life, you expect a bit of rest, don't you? You think you deserve it. I did, anyway. But then you begin to understand that the reward of merit is not life's business.”

“Though why should we expect age to mellow us? If it isn't life's business to reward merit, why should it be life's business to give us warm, comfortable feelings towards its end? What possible evolutionary purpose could nostalgia serve?”

“Everything you invent is true: you can be sure of that. Poetry is a subject as precise as geometry.”

“Human relations are also like learning to swim… one begins in fear, keeps thrashing against something that feels infinite, gets panicked. And when you calm yourself down and stop resisting… surrendering to the symphony of it… it is only then when you start to stay afloat.”

“it's good to have things done with”

“Conquer the pain of past losses. Conquer the sound of loud noises. Conquer the shame of bad choices. Conquer and become one of the most revered voices!”

“Invest in your God-given gifts. Make the necessary arrangements for them to be felt and seen.”

“Learn how to handle success because if you are unprepared, you can end up in a huge mess.”

“Mereka tak punya kemampuan menghapus cinta dan birahi. Mereka hanya bisa mencoba berdamai dengan perasaan itu dalam diri masing-masing”