Thrown away Quote by Deborah Eisenberg
““I turned with the receiver to the wall as I absorbed the fact of Ivan’s voice, and when I glanced back at the man on my sofa, he seemed like a scrap of paper, or the handle from a broken cup, or a single rubber band—a thing that has become dislodged from its rightful place and intrudes on one’s consciousness two or three or many times before one understands that it is just a thing best thrown away.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Story of the Girl Who Was Too Much” by Deborah Eisenberg, 1995
A voice intrudes repeatedly, feeling like an unwanted fragment that should be discarded, illustrating intrusive thoughts.
In simple terms: Intrusive thoughts feel like unwanted, persistent fragments.
Key Takeaway
Practice mindfulness to observe thoughts without attachment.
Themes
intrusiveness
mental clutter
self‑awareness
Mood
introspective
calm
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- creative work
- daily rumination
Key Concepts
cognitive intrusion
psychological distress
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you distinguish harmful thoughts from harmless mental noise?
- What strategies help you let go of intrusive mental fragments?
A Different Perspective
Thoughts can be persistent but not necessarily harmful.
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