We have a soul at times. No one’s got it non-stop, for…
““We have a soul at times. No one’s got it non-stop, for keeps. Day after day, year after year may pass without it. Sometimes it will settle for awhile only in childhood’s fears and raptures. Sometimes only in astonishment that we are old. It rarely lends a hand in uphill tasks, like moving furniture, or lifting luggage, or going miles in shoes that pinch. It usually steps out whenever meat needs chopping or forms have to be filled. For every thousand conversations it participates in one, if even that, since it prefers silence. Just when our body goes from ache to pain, it slips off-duty. It’s picky: it doesn’t like seeing us in crowds, our hustling for a dubious advantage and creaky machinations make it sick. Joy and sorrow aren’t two different feelings for it. It attends us only when the two are joined. We can count on it when we’re sure of nothing and curious about everything. Among the material objects it favors clocks with pendulums and mirrors, which keep on working even when no one is looking. It won’t say where it comes from or when it’s taking off again, though it’s clearly expecting such questions. We need it but apparently it needs us for some reason too.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The soul appears sporadically, favoring quiet moments of wonder over mundane tasks, and is most present when joy and sorrow intertwine.
In simple terms: The soul shows up in quiet, awe‑filled moments, not in daily chores.
Key Takeaway
Notice and cherish moments when joy meets sorrow.
Themes
existence
mindfulness
transcendence
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- meditation
- art therapy
- philosophical discussion
Key Concepts
ephemerality
dualism
inner voice
Questions to Reflect On
- When do you feel most alive?
- How can you invite the soul into daily work?
A Different Perspective
The soul’s rarity can lead to feeling disconnected during routine life.