“The Thing Isto love life, to love it even when you have no stomach for it and everything you've held dear crumbles like burnt paper in your hands, your throat filled with the slit of it. When grief sits with you, its tropical heat thickening the air, heavy as water more fit for gills than lungs; when grief weights you like your own flesh only more of it, an obesity of grief, you think , how can a body withstand this? Then you hold like life a face between your palms, a plain face, no charming smile, no violet eyes, and you say, yes, I will take you I will love you, againEllen Bass”
Usage Example
"The power of love and resilience shines through in this quote by Ellen Bass, as beautifully highlighted by Bonnie Shimko. The message of embracing life and love, even in the midst of deep grief and despair, is truly inspiring."
Quote Analysis
In this quote by Ellen Bass, the speaker reflects on the experience of facing immense grief and loss in life. The imagery used in the passage is vivid, with descriptions of grief as a heavy, suffocating presence. Despite the overwhelming weight of grief, the speaker finds solace in the idea of loving life, even when it seems unbearable. The act of choosing to love life, even in the face of hardship, is portrayed as an act of resilience and determination. This quote emphasizes the capacity for love and strength within individuals, even in the midst of profound pain and loss.
Modern Relevance of Ellen Bass' Poem
In today's fast-paced and often tumultuous world, the message conveyed in Ellen Bass' poem continues to resonate with many individuals. The idea of loving life even in the face of overwhelming grief and challenges is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of finding beauty and love even in the darkest of times.
Reflection Questions:
In this powerful quote by Ellen Bass, we are reminded of the importance of loving life even in the face of immense grief and challenges. Reflecting on this quote can help us explore our own capacity for resilience and love in difficult circumstances. Here are some questions to consider:
- How do you interpret the idea of loving life even when faced with grief and loss?
- Have you ever experienced a situation where everything seemed to be falling apart? How did you cope with it, and did you find moments of love and beauty?
- What does it mean to "hold like life a face between your palms" and make a conscious choice to continue loving and embracing life, despite hardships?
- How can practicing gratitude and mindfulness help us find moments of joy and love, even in the midst of grief and challenges?
- In what ways can we support and show love to others who may be struggling with their own "obesity of grief"?
Similar quotes
“to love life, to love it evenwhen you have no stomach for itand everything you've held dearcrumbles like burnt paper in your hands,your throat filled with the silt of it.When grief sits with you, its tropical heatthickening the air, heavy as watermore fit for gills than lungs;when grief weights you like your own fleshonly more of it, an obesity of grief,you think, How can a body withstand this?Then you hold life like a facebetween your palms, a plain face,no charming smile, no violet eyes,and you say, yes, I will take youI will love you, again.”
“Then you hold life like a facebetween your palms, a plain face,no charming smile, no violet eyes,and you say, yes, I will take youI will love you, again.”
“In times of grief and sorrow I will hold you and rock you and take your grief and make it my own. When you cry I cry and when you hurt I hurt. And together we will try to hold back the floods to tears and despair and make it through the potholed street of life”
“I will love you always. When this red hair is white, I will still love you. When the smooth softness of youth is replaced by the delicate softness of age, I will still want to touch your skin. When your face is full of the lines of every smile you have ever smiled, of every surprise I have seen flash through your eyes, when every tear you have ever cried has left its mark upon your face,I will treasure you all the more, because I was there to see it all. I will share your life with you, Meredith, and I will love you until the last breath leaves your body or mine.”
“The interesting thing about grief, I think, is that it is its own size. It is not the size of you. It is its own size. And grief comes to you. You know what I mean? I’ve always liked that phrase “He was visited by grief,” because that’s really what it is. Grief is its own thing. It’s not like it’s in me and I’m going to deal with it. It’s a thing, and you have to be okay with its presence. If you try to ignore it, it will be like a wolf at your door.”