So it is written - but so, too, it is crossed out. You can…
““So it is written - but so, too, it is crossed out. You can write it over again. You can make notes in the margins. You can cut out the whole page. You can, and you must, edit and rewrite and reshape and pull out the wrong parts like bones and find just the thing and you can forever, forever, write more and more and more, thicker and longer and clearer. Living is a paragraph, constantly rewritten. It is Grown-Up Magic. Children are heartless; their parents hold them still, squirming and shouting, until a heart can get going in their little lawless wilderness. Teenagers crash their hearts into every hard and thrilling thing to see what will give and what will hold. And Grown-Ups, when they are very good, when they are very lucky, and very brave, and their wishes are sharp as scissors, when they are in the fullness of their strength, use their hearts to start their story over again.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Life is a continuously edited narrative; we must rewrite, reshape, and grow, learning from each stage of development.
In simple terms: Life is a rewriteable story.
Key Takeaway
Embrace continual self‑revision.
Themes
growth
creativity
self‑reflection
Mood
hopeful
determined
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career changes
- artistic endeavors
- personal crises
- educational pursuits
Key Concepts
narrative theory
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What part of your story needs editing?
- How do you balance continuity with change?
A Different Perspective
Constant change can cause instability.