Affliction Quote by Washington Irving
“The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced. Every other wound we seek to heal - every other affliction to forget: but this wound we consider it a duty to keep open - this affliction we cherish and brood over in solitude.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, 1819
We cling to grief for loved ones, refusing to let go, while we try to heal other pains.
In simple terms: We keep the pain of loss open, unlike other wounds we heal.
Key Takeaway
Allow grief to be felt, not suppressed.
Themes
grief
memory
loneliness
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
philosophical
emotional
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- personal loss
- therapy sessions
- memorials
Key Concepts
attachment
mourning
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you honor loss without being consumed by it?
- What rituals help you integrate grief?
A Different Perspective
Grief can become overwhelming if not processed health
![“May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down my face make me more radiant: may my hidden weeping bloom… How we waste our afflictions!... [T]hey're really our wintering foliage, our dark greens of meaning…” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c7/rainer-maria-rilke-193_abode_may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and_52479.jpg)
