Skip to content

And then as the little plane climbed higher and Olive saw…

“And then as the little plane climbed higher and Olive saw spread out below them fields of bright and tender green in this morning sun, farther out the coastline, the ocean shiny and almost flat, tiny white wakes behind a few lobster boats--then Olive felt something she had not expected to feel…” quote by Elizabeth Strout
Download Open image
““And then as the little plane climbed higher and Olive saw spread out below them fields of bright and tender green in this morning sun, farther out the coastline, the ocean shiny and almost flat, tiny white wakes behind a few lobster boats--then Olive felt something she had not expected to feel again: a sudden surging greediness for life. She leaned forward, peering out the window: sweet pale clouds, the sky as blue as your hat, the new green of the fields, the broad expanse of water--seen from up here it all appeared wondrous, amazing. She remembered what hope was, and this was it. That inner churning that moves you forward, plows you through life the way the boats below plowed the shiny water, the way the plane was plowing forward to a place new, and where she was needed.””

Elizabeth Strout

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator experiences a sudden, vivid appreciation for life’s beauty and purpose, likening it to a forward‑driving force that propels her onward.

In simple terms: A sudden, deep love for life and its possibilities.

Key Takeaway

Embrace moments that rekindle hope.

Themes

hope beauty purpose renewal

Mood

uplifting reflective

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

  • travel
  • nature appreciation
  • personal reflection
  • creative inspiration

Key Concepts

existentialism aesthetic appreciation motivation

Questions to Reflect On

  • What moments make you feel most alive?
  • How can you sustain that forward momentum?
A Different Perspective

Such intense feelings can be fleeting and may mask underlying anxieties.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Elizabeth Strout

Explore all 205 Elizabeth Strout quotes

More Hope quotes

Browse all 24,868 Hope quotes