“This is not our fight', the old man said. 'British or American, that is not the choice. You must choose your own side, find your road through the valley of darkness that will lead you to the river Jordan. . . Look hard for your river Jordan, my child. You'll find it.”
Quote Analysis
In this quote from Laurie Halse Anderson, the old man is advising someone that their allegiance should not be dictated by external forces like nationality. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of choosing one's own path and finding their own purpose, symbolized by the metaphor of finding their "river Jordan". This advice encourages self-discovery and individual choice in navigating through difficult situations.
Finding one's own path in times of conflict
In Laurie Halse Anderson's quote, the old man advises the protagonist to not simply follow others blindly but to find their own path and make their own decisions. This message of self-discovery and individual agency has modern relevance in a world where people are often influenced by external forces and group mentalities. It serves as a reminder for individuals to think critically, make their own choices, and navigate through challenging circumstances by following their own moral compass.
Finding Your Own Path
“This is not our fight', the old man said. 'British or American, that is not the choice. You must choose your own side, find your road through the valley of darkness that will lead you to the river Jordan. . . Look hard for your river Jordan, my child. You'll find it.” - Laurie Halse Anderson
Reflection Questions
In this thought-provoking quote from Laurie Halse Anderson's work, we are reminded of the importance of finding our own path and making decisions based on our personal values and beliefs rather than succumbing to external pressures. Here are some reflection questions to consider:
- What does the phrase "valley of darkness" symbolize to you in your own life?
- How do you determine what is worth fighting for in your own journey?
- Have you ever faced a situation where you had to choose between conflicting loyalties, like the British or American characters in the quote? How did you navigate that decision-making process?
- What do you think the river Jordan represents in the context of this quote? How does this symbol relate to finding your own path?
- How can you apply the advice of "look hard for your river Jordan" in your own decision-making and self-discovery?
Similar quotes
“As with all my children, you must find your own path, and through that discovery, you will decide what each earth child must ultimately decide-whether she chooses chaos or love.”
“I believe in going with the flow. I don't believe in fighting against the flow. You ride on your river and you go with the tides and the flow. But it has to be your river, not someone else's. Everyone has their own river, and you don't need to swim,float,sail on their's, but you need to be in your own river and you need to go with it. And I don't believe in fighting the wind. You go and you fly with your wind. Let everyone else catch their own gusts of wind and let them fly with their own gusts of wind, and you go and you fly with yours.”
“You are a mischievous one. You will cause no end of trouble. You have to travel many roads before you find the river of your destiny. This life of yours will be full of riddles. You will be protected and you will never be alone.”
“Fight to escape from your own cleverness. If you do, then you will find salvation and uprightness through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“In the Holy Land are two ancient bodies of water. Both are fed by the Jordan River. In one, fish play and roots find sustenance. In the other, there is no splash of fish, no sound of bird, no leaf around. The difference is not in the Jordan, for it empties into both, but in the Sea of Galilee: for every drop taken in one goes out. It gives and lives. The other gives nothing. And it is called the Dead Sea.”