Everlasting Quote by Elizabeth Gaskell
““Nothing had been the same; and this slight, all-pervading instability, had given her greater pain than if all had been too entirely changed for her to recognise it. I begin to understand now what heaven must be-and, oh! the grandeur and repose of the words-"The same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Everlasting! "From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God." That sky above me looks as though it could not change, and yet it will. I am so tired-so tired of being whirled on through all these phases of my life, in which nothing abides by me, no creature, no place; it is like the circle in which the victims of earthly passion eddy continually. I am in the mood in which women of another religion take the veil. I seek heavenly steadfastness in earthy monotony.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1854
The narrator reflects on profound instability and yearning for constancy, juxtaposing eternal divine constancy with personal turbulence and the desire for steady, earthly routine.
In simple terms: She feels unsettled and seeks lasting stability.
Key Takeaway
Seek grounding amidst change.
Themes
instability
spirituality
yearning
change
faith
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
spiritual
literary
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- spiritual search
- daily routine
- life transitions
- faith practice
Key Concepts
existentialism
theology
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can one find steadiness in a shifting world?
- What practices foster inner constancy?
A Different Perspective
The desire for permanence may clash with the reality of constant change.
