Cold water Quote by Carolyn Heilbrun
““The antithetical or perhaps mirror image to sadness is the experience, similarly unique to one's late years, of a swift, mysterious wave of happiness, also causeless, but of much shorter duration. I cannot remember a time, before my sixties, when the consciousness of happiness would sweep over me and, like a shower of cold water when one is desperately overheated, offer me a passing sensation very close to glee. Both sadness and fleeting happiness relate, I think, to mortality, to the consciousness of being old and of nearing the end of life. . . these sensations . . . surge up from the unconscious, to be a gift of long life or fortunate old age. Both sadness and happiness, but sadness more, are related to the fact that nothing of all this will endure for long. [p. 179]””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Female Body in Public Discourse, 1990
In later life, brief, intense happiness appears, contrasting with deeper, lingering sadness, both tied to mortality awareness.
In simple terms: Old age brings fleeting joy and persistent sorrow, linked to the awareness of death.
Key Takeaway
Embrace fleeting joy while acknowledging life's impermanence.
Themes
aging
mortality
emotion
philosophy
Mood
nostalgic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- retirement
- health challenges
- creative pursuits
- family milestones
Key Concepts
ephemeral happiness
existential reflection
life stages
Questions to Reflect On
- What moments bring you unexpected joy?
- How do you balance joy and sorrow?
A Different Perspective
Happiness may be fleeting and not solve underlying sadness.
![“a revolutionary marriage ... [is] one in which both partners have work at the center of their lives and must find a delicate balance that can support both together and each individually.” quote by Carolyn Heilbrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f07/carolyn-heilbrun-11912_balance_a-revolutionary-marriage-is-one-in-which_734516.jpg)
