Parenting Quote by Ismet Prcic
““There'll be a war," my mother said, her lit cigarette as though forgotten in front of her face… She couldn't have meant war … Soon enough even my father would realize that we were stupid enough to fling a hefty piece of wet Balkan shit right into the blades of a turning fan and expect not to get soiled. The war would come just as prophesied, and for years a part of me would believe that…I had somehow caused it all, and I would feel guilty for all of the dead and the dead-to-be, and sitting in the basement with my town groaning from destruction above my head, I would wish for a time machine and another go at that day. (p.58)””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Unknown, page 58, author Ismet Prcic
A narrator blames themselves for a war, feeling guilt and longing for a chance to change the past.
In simple terms: Self‑blame for war and wish for a redo.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of personal responsibility.
Themes
guilt
war
regret
memory
fate
Mood
sorrowful
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war aftermath
- family trauma
- personal reflection
- seeking redemption
Key Concepts
psychology
historical trauma
counterfactual thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of war are truly beyond personal control?
- How can one move from guilt to constructive action?
A Different Perspective
Guilt may overlook larger forces that cause conflict.
