Crossing the street Quote by Jorge Luis Borges
““Someone A man worn down by time, a man who does not even expect death (the proofs of death are statistics and everyone runs the risk of being the first immortal), a man who has learned to express thanks for the days' modest alms: sleep, routine, the taste of water, an unsuspected etymology, a Latin or Saxon verse, the memory of a woman who left him thirty years ago now whom he can call to mind without bitterness, a man who is aware that the present is both future and oblivion, a man who has betrayed and has been betrayed, may feel suddenly, when crossing the street, a mysterious happiness not coming from the side of hope but from an ancient innocence, from his own root or from some diffuse god. He knows better than to look at it closely, for there are reasons more terrible than tigers which will prove to him that wretchedness is his duty, but he accepts humbly this felicity, this glimmer. Perhaps in death when the dust is dust, we will be forever this undecipherable root, from which will grow forever, serene or horrible, or solitary heaven or hell.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Book of Sand”, 1975
A man, despite life's hardships and inevitable death, finds fleeting joy in simple moments, yet knows deeper suffering looms.
In simple terms: Finding brief joy in ordinary life despite looming sorrow.
Cherish small moments, accept their fleeting nature.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- walking home
- reflecting on past
- contemplating death
- appreciating routine
- seeking meaning
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What simple moments bring you unexpected peace?
- How do you balance joy with awareness of life's impermanence?
The joy may be fleeting and can mask deeper despair.