All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had…
““All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had a selfless thought since I was born. I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through: I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn. Peace, re-assurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek, I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin: I talk of love --a scholar's parrot may talk Greek-- But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin. Only that now you have taught me (but how late) my lack. I see the chasm. And everything you are was making My heart into a bridge by which I might get back From exile, and grow man. And now the bridge is breaking. For this I bless you as the ruin falls. The pains You give me are more precious than all other gains.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker confesses selfish motives, recognizing love as a bridge to self‑growth, yet feels the relationship is collapsing, valuing the pain it brings as a catalyst for transformation.
In simple terms: Selfishness revealed, love as a bridge, pain as growth.
Key Takeaway
Embrace pain as a teacher.
Themes
self-awareness
spirituality
relationships
Mood
conflicted
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- spiritual crisis
- relationship breakdown
Key Concepts
redemption
human frailty
self‑deception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you turn selfish desire into genuine love?
- What does the “bridge” symbolize in your life?
A Different Perspective
Pain may not always lead to growth; selfish motives can persist.