Birth Quote by Kyung-Sook Shin
““Life is sometimes amazingly fragile, but some lives are frighteningly strong. My elder daughter says that when you mow down weeds with a tractor, the weeds cling to the wheels of the tractor and spread seeds, to breed even at the moment they’re being cut. Your baby latched on ferociously. He suckled so hard that I felt I would be sucked in, so I slapped the baby’s bottom, which still had traces of redness from his birth. When that didn’t work, I had to force him off. A baby who’s lost its mother as soon as it’s born intuitively doesn’t want to let go when it’s near a nipple.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Lives of Others, 2014
Life is fragile yet resilient; even in hardship, strength emerges and attachment persists.
In simple terms: Life can be both delicate and strong.
Key Takeaway
Cherish and protect vulnerable moments.
Themes
fragility
resilience
attachment
Mood
empathetic
somber
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- parenting
- caregiving
- grief
- healing
Key Concepts
human nature
survival instinct
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance caring for others with self‑care?
- What does resilience look like in your life?
A Different Perspective
Strength can be temporary; vulnerability may be overwhelming.
