You decide. You be the judge. It says You are welcome regardless of severity. Severity is in the eye of the sufferer, it says. Pain is pain.

David Foster Wallace
About This Quote

This statement is actually a reference to a poem that was written by Emily Dickinson. In the poem, the speaker expresses her loneliness and longing for someone to appreciate her. The line “you are welcome” shows that even though she was feeling lonely all by herself, she still felt comforted knowing that someone was happy to see her. This line also shows a certain form of kindness towards everyone who is suffering, as it says that even if one person’s pain is severe, “it says” that they are still welcome.

Source: Infinite Jest

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