Long time Quote by John Crowley
““One by one the lights burned out, like long lives come to their expected ends. Then there was a dark house made once of time, made now of weather, and harder to find; impossible to find and not even as easy to dream of as when it was alight. Stories last longer, but only by becoming only stories. It was anyway all a long time ago; the world, we know now, is as it is and not different; if ever there was a time when there were passages, doors, the borders open and many crossing; that time is not now. The world is older than it was. Even the weather isn't as we remember it clearly once being; never lately does there come a summer day such as we remember, never clouds as white as that, never grass as odorous and shade as deep and full of promise as we remember they can be, as once upon a time they were.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Little, Big by John Crowley, 1981
The passage reflects on fading memories and changing worlds, noting that stories persist even as the vividness of past experiences dims.
In simple terms: Memories fade, stories endure.
Key Takeaway
Cherish stories, accept change.
Themes
memory
time
impermanence
storytelling
nostalgia
Mood
melancholic
reflective
nostalgic
Type
literary
philosophical
contemplative
When to use this quote
- reflecting on aging
- writing memoirs
- preserving cultural heritage
- teaching history
- contemplating climate change
Key Concepts
transience
nostalgia
historical perspective
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance honoring the past with embracing present change?
- What role do stories play in shaping collective memory?
A Different Perspective
It may romanticize the past, overlooking progress and adaptation.
