Eternity Quote by Anthony Doerr
““Every second a million petitions wing past the ear of God. Let it be door number two. Get Janet through this. Make Mom fall in love again, make the pain go away, make this key fit. If I fish this cove, plant this field, step into this darkness, give me the strength to see it through. Help my marriage, my sister, me. What will this fund be worth in thirteen days? In thirteen years? Will I be around in thirteen years? And the most unanswerable of unanswerables: Don't let me die. And: What will happen afterward? Chandeliers and choirs? Flocks of souls like starlings harrying across the sky? Eternity; life again as bacteria, or as sunflowers, or as a leatherback turtle; suffocating blackness; cessation of all cellular function.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Fund” from The Shell Collector, 2002
A desperate prayer blends personal hopes, existential fear, and a plea for survival, reflecting human vulnerability and the unknown after death.
In simple terms: A prayer asking for help with many worries and fear of dying.
Key Takeaway
Seek support and confront mortality.
Themes
mortality
hope
despair
Mood
somber
hopeful
Type
poetic
existential
When to use this quote
- health crisis
- family conflict
- financial stress
- creative block
Key Concepts
existential anxiety
spiritual pleading
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this prayer reveal about the speaker’s priorities?
- How do you cope with uncertainty about the future?
A Different Perspective
Prayer may not change outcomes; reliance on external forces can be limiting.
