Face to face Quote by Ian McEwan
““They were beyond the present, outside time, with no memories and no future. There was nothing but obliterating sensation, thrilling and swelling, and the sound of fabric on fabric and skin on fabric as their limbs slid across each other in this restless, sensuous wrestling. ... They moved closer, deeper and then, for seconds on end, everything stopped. Instead of an ecstatic frenzy, there was stillness. They were stilled not by the astonishing fact of arrival, but by an awed sense of return - they were face to face in the gloom, staring into what little they could see of each other's eyes, and now it was the impersonal that dropped away.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Kind of Infinity by Ian McEwan, 1995
Intense intimacy can dissolve personal boundaries, leading to a profound, quiet recognition of shared humanity beyond desire.
In simple terms: Deep connection can bring stillness and mutual understanding.
Key Takeaway
Seek moments of true presence with others.
Themes
intimacy
connection
self‑transcendence
stillness
Mood
contemplative
intimate
quiet
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- romantic encounter
- artistic collaboration
- therapeutic dialogue
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- How does shared silence differ from shared speech?
- What does “the impersonal dropping away” mean for you?
A Different Perspective
The experience may be unsettling and challenge conventional notions of self.
![“Gerber, who studied seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Ottoman court decisions, points to examples of Ottoman muftis (official jurists) who, despite being paid by the government, “did not hesitate to speak out against the government when [they] came face to face with an injustice.” quote by Mustafa Akyol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/790/mustafa-akyol-15064_face-to-face_gerber-who-studied-seventeenth-and-eight_22267.jpg)
