Accepting Quote by Catherynne M. Valente
“..what came before has dissolved from me, lost like milk teeth. But I think, rather, that it has always been as it is, and there was never a beforethis nor will there be an afternow. I am accepting. This is not a thing to be solved, or conquered, or destroyed. It is. I am. We are. We conjugate together in darkness, plotting against each other, the Labyrinth to eat me and I to eat it, each to swallow the hard, black opium of the other. We hold orange petals beneath our tongues and seethe. It has always been so. It grinds against me and I bite into its skin..”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Lost Book of the White (by Catherynne M. Valente, 2015)
Acceptance of ever‑changing reality replaces the need to solve or dominate it; unity arises from shared darkness.
In simple terms: Accept change; unite in darkness.
Key Takeaway
Embrace fluidity and collective purpose.
Themes
change
acceptance
unity
darkness
Mood
introspective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- team building
- spiritual practice
- creative collaboration
Key Concepts
philosophy
existentialism
collective consciousness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you practice acceptance daily?
- What does “darkness” symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may be opaque for practical application.
