Shimamoto was in charge of the records. She'd take one from its jacket, place it carefully on the turntable without touching the grooves with her fingers, and, after making sure to brush the cartridge free of any dust with a tiny brush, lower the needle ever so gently onto the record. When the record was finished, she'd spray it and wipe it with a felt cloth. Finally she'd return the record to its jacket and its proper place on the shelf. Her father had taught her this procedure, and she followed his instructions with a terribly serious look on her face, her eyes narrowed, her breath held in check. Meanwhile, I was on the sofa, watching her every move. Only when the record was safely back on the shelf did she turn to me and give a little smile. And every time, this thought hit me: It wasn't a record she was handling. It was a fragile soul inside a glass bottle.Haruki Murakami
About This Quote
Our human existence is fleeting. No one can foretell when or where something could happen that will change our lives forever. In this quote from the book, Kana Shimamoto approaches each day with a single purpose in mind: "When I die, I want them to take me and play my records on the turntable." It's a simple request, but one that encompasses everything she has ever known and will ever know. By being so focused on the present, she has come to cherish each moment of her life, and it has become something precious. The fact that she wants to take her record player with her at the end of her life says a lot about who she is and how much she values herself.
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More Quotes By Haruki Murakami
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