“The tears that had been threatening to overflow finally did, coursing down my cheeks. I wanted to run after him, to take back what I'd said, to beg him to stay, but I'd spent my life running after Mal. Instead, I stood in silence and let him go.”
Explore This Quote Further
Analysis
In this quote from Leigh Bardugo's novel, the speaker expresses a deep sense of regret and sadness as they watch someone important to them walk away. The use of tears and the imagery of wanting to run after the person, but feeling paralyzed by past actions, conveys a sense of helplessness and longing. The speaker's realization that they have spent their life chasing after this individual, potentially at the expense of their own desires and needs, adds a layer of complexity to the emotions portrayed. This quote captures the bittersweet nature of love and longing, as well as the pain of letting go.
Modern Relevance
In this poignant quote from Leigh Bardugo's novel, the narrator grapples with the heart-wrenching realization that sometimes, letting go is the only option. This theme of acceptance and moving on can resonate with readers in today's fast-paced world where individuals may find themselves holding onto relationships or situations that are no longer serving them. Learning to let go and move forward can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery.
Emotional Extract from a Novel by Leigh Bardugo
"The tears that had been threatening to overflow finally did, coursing down my cheeks. I wanted to run after him, to take back what I'd said, to beg him to stay, but I'd spent my life running after Mal. Instead, I stood in silence and let him go.” - Leigh Bardugo"
Reflection Questions:
In this emotional moment, the protagonist is faced with a decision to let go of someone they care about deeply. Reflect on a time when you had to make a similarly difficult choice. How did you handle it and what did you learn from the experience? Consider the significance of the protagonist choosing to stand in silence instead of chasing after the person they love. Have you ever had a moment where staying silent felt like the best course of action, even though it was painful? How did you navigate that situation and what did you take away from it? Think about the theme of letting go and how it is portrayed in this passage. How do you personally approach letting go of things or people in your life? Is it more difficult for you to hold on or to release? How do you find strength in moments of saying goodbye?
Similar quotes
“I had crossed the yard to him slowly, watching him draw closer, baffled by the way my heart was skittering around my chest. Then he'd picked me up and spun me in a circle, and I'd clung to him, breathing in his sweet, familiar smell, shocked by how much I'd missed him. Dimly, I'd been aware that I still had a shard of the blue cup in my hand, that it was digging into my palm, but I didn't want to let go.When he finally set me down and ambled off to the kitchen to find his lunch, I stood there, my palm dripping blood, my head still spinning, knowing that everything had changed.Ana Kuya had scoled me for getting blood on the clean kitchen floor. She'd bandaged my hand and told me it would heal. But I knew it would just go on hurting.In the creaking silence of the cell, Mal kissed the scar on my palm, the wound made so long ago by the edge of that broken cup, a fragile thing I'd thought beyond repair.”
“I told him the story of the day I'd been mending pottery with one of the maids in the kitchen at Keramzin, waiting for him to return from one of the hunting trips that had taken him from home more and more frequently. I'd been fifteen, standing at the counter, vainly trying to glue together the jagged pieces of a blue cup. When I saw him crossing the fields, I ran to the doorway and waved. He caught sight of me and broke into a jog.I had crossed the yard to him slowly, watching him draw closer, baffled by the way my heart was skittering around in my chest. Then he'd picked me up and swung me in a circle, and I'd clung to him, breathing in his sweet, familiar smell, shocked by how much I'd missed him. Dimly, I'd been aware that I still had a shard of that blue cup in my hand, that it was digging into my palm, but I didn't want to let go.When he finally set me down and ambled off into the kitchen to find his lunch, I had stood there, my palm dripping in blood, my head still spinning, knowing that everything had changed.Ana Kuya had scolded me for getting blood on the clean kitchen floor. She'd bandaged my hand and told me it would heal. But I knew it would just go on hurting.”
“I thought the love I'd had for him belonged to the past, to the foolish, lonely girl I never wanted to be again. I'd tried to bury that girl and the love she'd felt, just as I'd tried to bury my power. But I wouldn't make that mistake again.”
“Get moving. We need to find that stag so I don’t have to chop your head off.”“I never said you had to chop my head off,” I grumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and stumbling after him.“Run you through with a sword, then? Firing squad?”“I was thinking something quieter, like maybe a nice poison.”“All you said was that I had to kill you. You didn’t say how.”I stuck my tongue out at his back, but I was glad to see him so energized, and I suppose it was a good thing that he could joke about it all. At least, I hoped he was joking.”
“I have loved you all my life, Mal,” I whispered through my tears. “There is no end to our story.”
“The first time I'd entered the Fold, I'd feared the darkness and my own death. Now, darkness was nothing to me, and I knew that soon death would seem like a gift. I'd always known I would have to return to the Unsea, but as I looked back, I realized that some part of me had anticipated it.”