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Barbed wire Quote by Ron Rash

“Then one morning she’d begun to feel her sorrow easing, like something jagged that had cut into her so long it had finally dulled its edges, worn itself down. That same day Rachel couldn’t remember which side her father had parted his hair on, and she’d realized again what she’d learned at five…” quote by Ron Rash
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““Then one morning she’d begun to feel her sorrow easing, like something jagged that had cut into her so long it had finally dulled its edges, worn itself down. That same day Rachel couldn’t remember which side her father had parted his hair on, and she’d realized again what she’d learned at five when her mother left – that what made losing someone you loved bearable was not remembering but forgetting. Forgetting the small things first, the smell of the soap her mother had bathed with, the color of the dress she’d worn to church, then after a while the sound of her mother’s voice, the color of her hair. It amazed Rachel how much you could forget, and everything you forgot made that person less alive inside you until you could finally endure it. After more time passed you could let yourself remember, even want to remember. But even then what you felt those first days could return and remind you the grief that was still there, like old barbed wire embedded in a tree’s heartwood.””

Ron Rash

About This Quote

Grief fades as memories dim, but the lingering pain can resurface, showing loss’s complex, lingering nature.

In simple terms: Memory loss eases grief.

Key Takeaway

Allow time to heal.

Themes

grief memory healing

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

literary emotional

When to use this quote

  • bereavement
  • mental health
  • personal growth

Key Concepts

psychology literature

Questions to Reflect On

  • What memories help heal loss?
  • How to balance forgetting and honoring?
A Different Perspective

Forgetting may also erase cherished moments.

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