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Business Quote by Charles Dickens

“Therefore, he sat before his dying fire, sorrowful to think upon the way by which he had come to that night, yet not strewing poison on the way by which other men had come to it. That he should have missed so much, and at his time of life should look so far about him for any staff to bear him…” quote by Charles Dickens
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““Therefore, he sat before his dying fire, sorrowful to think upon the way by which he had come to that night, yet not strewing poison on the way by which other men had come to it. That he should have missed so much, and at his time of life should look so far about him for any staff to bear him company upon his downward journey and cheer it, was a just regret. He looked at the fire from which the blaze departed, from which the afterglow subsided, in which the ashes turned grey, from which they dropped to dust, and thought, 'How soon I too shall pass through such changes, and be gone!' To review his life was like descending a green tree in fruit and flower, and seeing all the branches wither and drop off, one by one, as he came down towards them. 'From the unhappy suppression of my youngest days, through the rigid and unloving home that followed them, through my departure, my long exile, my return, my mother's welcome, my intercourse with her since, down to the afternoon of this day with poor Flora,' said Arthur Clennam, 'what have I found!' His door was softly opened, and these spoken words startled him, and came as if they were an answer: 'Little Dorrit.””

Charles Dickens

About This Quote

Source Novel: Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens, 1855

The narrator reflects on life's fleeting nature and regrets missed connections.

In simple terms: Life is short, cherish relationships.

Key Takeaway

Value companionship before it's too late.

Themes

mortality regret reflection

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • elderly care
  • family reunions
  • personal memoirs

Key Concepts

existentialism human connection

Questions to Reflect On

  • What relationships need mending now?
  • How can we honor past experiences?
A Different Perspective

Focusing on regret may hinder present joy.

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