Because I don’t care what anyone says or how often or winningly they say it: no one will ever, ever be able to persuade me that life is some awesome, rewarding treat. Because, here’s the truth: life is a catastrophe. The basic fact of existence — of walking around trying to feed ourselves and find friends and whatever else we do — is a catastrophe. Forget all this ridiculous ‘Our Town’ nonsense everyone talks: the miracle of a newborn babe, the joy of one simple blossom, Life You Are Too Wonderful To Grasp, &c. For me — and I’ll keep repeating it doggedly till I die, till I fall over on my ungrateful nihilistic face and am too weak to say it: better never born, than born into this cesspool. Sinkhole of hospital beds, coffins, and broken hearts. No release, no appeal, no “do-overs” to employ a favored phrase of Xandra’s, no way forward but age and loss, and no way out but death. .Donna Tartt
About This Quote
No one lives an easy life. The nature of life requires suffering, but suffering should not be our main purpose. Our purpose in life should be to appreciate the suffering we experience and learn to enjoy it instead of suffering for suffering's sake or suffering because suffering makes us feel good. One day suffering will leave us and we will find that it was all worth it.
Source: The Goldfinch
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