Absence Quote by Julio Cortazar
“We know that attention acts as a lightning rod. Merely by concentrating on something one causes endless analogies to collect around it, even penetrate the boundaries of the subject itself: an experience that we call coincidence, serendipity – the terminology is extensive. My experience has been that in these circular travels what is really significant surrounds a central absence, an absence that, paradoxically, is the text being written or to be written.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Lightning Rod of Attention, 2010
Focusing attention draws many related ideas and coincidences, revealing a central void that is the unwritten text itself.
In simple terms: Attention creates connections and highlights what's missing.
Key Takeaway
Notice what the focus omits.
Themes
attention
creativity
coincidence
serendipity
absence
Mood
thoughtful
curious
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- research
- creative writing
- problem solving
- artistic inspiration
Key Concepts
psychology
writing
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the missing piece tell you?
- How can you use this void productively?
A Different Perspective
The void may be a distraction rather than insight.
![“The best literature is always a take [in the musical sense]; there is an implicit risk in its execution, a margin of danger that is the pleasure of the flight, of the love, carrying with it a tangible loss but also a total engagement that, on another level, lends the theater its unparalleled…” quote by Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0d/julio-cort-zar-698_books_the-best-literature-is-always-a-take-in_174639.jpg)
