Irene Nemirovsky's striking quote, "Waiting is erotic," encapsulates the complexity of desire and anticipation. It suggests that the act of waiting itself can be charged with a sensual energy, transforming a simple pause into a profound experience of longing.
At its core, this statement challenges conventional notions of eroticism, which often focus on physical encounters. Instead, Nemirovsky invites us to consider how the build-up of tension and the experience of longing can heighten emotional and physical desire. The idea of waiting implies that something meaningful is forthcoming, making the anticipation itself a significant part of the experience.
In romantic relationships, for instance, waiting for a partner can amplify feelings of affection and excitement, turning simple moments into opportunities for deeper connection. This underscores the role of patience and delayed gratification in enhancing intimacy. The expectation becomes a space where fantasies thrive and emotions deepen, making the eventual fulfillment all the more potent.
Moreover, the quote can be interpreted in broader contexts—such as creativity, career aspirations, or even personal growth—where the journey of waiting and the hopes that accompany it contribute to the richness of the ultimate outcome. In this view, waiting is not merely an absence of action but an active engagement with one's desires and dreams.
Overall, Nemirovsky's insight serves as a reminder that moments of anticipation can be as impactful and meaningful as the moments of realization that follow, emphasizing the beauty found in the tension of waiting.
“Waiting is erotic. ”
“Quite apart from the fact that we usually pay so dearly for our follies, we should be generous about them, to ourselves and others. Yes, we always pay for them, and sometimes the smallest indiscretions cost as much as the largest.”
“...because all happiness is contagious, and disarms the spirit of hatred.”
“But what is certain is that in five, ten or twenty years, this problem unique to our time, according to him, will no longer exist, it will be replaced by others...Yet this music, the sound of this rain on the windows, the great mournful creaking of the cedar tree in the garden outside, this moment, so tender, so strange in the middle of war, this will never change, not this, this is forever.”
“Important events — whether serious, happy or unfortunate — do not change a man's soul, they merely bring it into relief, just as a strong gust of wind reveals the true shape of a tree when it blows off all its leaves. Such events highlight what is hidden in the shadows, they nudge the spirit towards a place where it can flourish.”
“The sun was shining with the kind of brilliant, silvery light you sometimes find in the middle of a truly beautiful day; an almost imperceptible iridescent mist hovered in the air and all the fresh colours of June were intensified, looked richer and softer, as if reflected through a prism.”