Barbed wire Quote by Benjamin Alire Saenz
““I have it in my head that when we’re born, God writes things down on our hearts. See, on some people’s hearts he writes “happy” and on some people’s hearts he writes “sad” and on some people’s hearts he writes “crazy” and on some people’s hearts he writes “genius” and on some people’s hearts he writes “angry” and on some people’s hearts he writes “winner” and on some people’s hearts he writes “loser.” I keep seeing a newspaper being tossed around in the wind. And then a strong gust comes along and the newspaper is thrown against a barbed wire fence and it gets ripped to shreds in an instant. That’s how I feel. I think God is the wind. It’s all like a game to him. Him. God. And it’s all pretty much random. He takes out his pen and starts writing on our blank hearts. When it came to my turn, he wrote “sad.” I don’t like God very much. Apparently, he doesn’t like me very much either.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Art of Being Human, Benjamin Alire Saenz, 2019
The quote expresses a feeling that life’s emotions and destinies are arbitrarily assigned by a higher power, leading to a sense of randomness and personal disappointment.
In simple terms: Life feels randomly assigned feelings by a higher power
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty, seek personal meaning.
Themes
existentialism
faith
identity
randomness
emotion
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
philosophical
personal narrative
When to use this quote
- grief
- self‑reflection
- spiritual questioning
- creative writing
Key Concepts
determinism
free will
theodicy
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you feel your emotions are predetermined?
- How can you find agency in randomness?
A Different Perspective
Not everyone believes in a predetermined fate; some find agency despite randomness.
