Attempting to Soar" A boy from Brooklyn used to cruise on…
““Attempting to Soar" A boy from Brooklyn used to cruise on summer nights. As soon as he’d hit sixty he’d hold his hand out the window, cupping it around the wind. He’d been assured this is exactly how a woman’s breast feels when you put your hand around it and apply a little pressure. Now he knew, and he loved it. Night after night, again and again, until the weather grew cold and he had to roll the window up. For many years afterwards he was perpetually attempting to soar. One winter’s night, holding his wife’s breast in his hand, he closed his eyes and wanted to weep. He loved her, but it was the wind he imagined now. As he grew older, he loved the word etcetera and refused to abbreviate it. He loved sweet white butter. He often pretended to be playing the organ. On one of his last mornings, he noticed the shape of his face molded in the pillow. He shook it out, but the next morning it reappeared.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A man seeks transcendence through sensory memories, longing for freedom and connection, yet remains anchored in physical intimacy and aging.
In simple terms: He chases freedom but stays tied to love and age.
Key Takeaway
Embrace present sensations while honoring dreams.
Themes
longing
memory
aging
intimacy
transcendence
Mood
melancholic
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
philosophical
emotive
When to use this quote
- late-night reflection
- intimate moments
- creative imagination
- aging body
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
sensory metaphor
existential yearning
nostalgia
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “soaring” mean to you beyond literal flight?
- How do physical sensations shape our aspirations?
A Different Perspective
The yearning may never fully escape the constraints of the body and mortality.