Human lives are not pieces of string that can be separated out from a knot of others and laid out straight. Familes are webs. Impossible to touch one part of it without setting the rest vibrating. Impossible to understand one part without having a sense of the whole.

Diane Setterfield
About This Quote

The idea that humans are not pieces of string that can be separated out from a knot of others and laid out straight is an unfortunate one. This is because it doesn’t allow for the intricacies of hearts and minds to be revealed. Instead, it makes people believe that their lives are unraveled and separate from the rest of the world. This way of thinking can lead to terrible things, especially when it comes to family members.

People who believe they are only pieces of string will often hurt others. This is because they feel that their own pain is just another thing that can be removed from the world with little consequence to anyone else. It’s easy to think you’re separate when you don’t know how your actions affect others.

Source: The Thirteenth Tale

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