Passage of time Quote by Jennifer Egan
““As Ted sat, feeling the evolution of the afternoon, he found himself thinking of Susan. Not the slightly different version of Susan, but Susan herself — his wife — on a day many years ago, before Ted had begun folding up his desire into the tiny shape it had become. On a trip to New York, riding the Staten Island Ferry for fun, because neither one of them had ever done it, Susan turned to him suddenly and said, "Let's make sure it's always like this." And so entwined were their thoughts at that point that Ted knew exactly why she'd said it: not because they'd made love that morning or drunk a bottle of Pouilly-Fuisse at lunch — because she'd felt the passage of time. And then Ted felt it, too, in the leaping brown water, the scudding boats and wind — motion, chaos everywhere — and he'd held Susan's hand and said, "Always. It will always be like this.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Marriage Plot by Jennifer Egan, 2011
A couple cherishes a moment of timeless connection, recognizing love’s endurance despite life's chaos.
In simple terms: Love can feel timeless in shared moments.
Key Takeaway
Cherish and protect those timeless moments.
Themes
love
memory
time
connection
Mood
romantic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- marriage anniversaries
- romantic trips
- reflective conversations
Key Concepts
nostalgia
ephemeral joy
Questions to Reflect On
- What moments make your relationships feel timeless?
- How do you sustain that feeling?
A Different Perspective
Romantic idealism may overlook practical challenges.
