“It was as if I'd already left some time before and was just catching up with myself.”
"It was as if I'd already left some time before and was just catching up with myself." - Richard Ford
In this quote by Richard Ford, the speaker reflects on a sense of disconnection or detachment from their own self. The use of the past tense implies a feeling of distance from their own identity, as if they have been disconnected or separated from themselves for some time. This introspective observation suggests a deeper exploration of internal discovery and self-awareness.
The quote by Richard Ford captures the feeling of disconnect that many people experience at some point in their lives. In today's fast-paced world, this feeling of being out of sync with oneself is becoming more common as people struggle to keep up with the demands of daily life. It serves as a reminder to take a step back, reflect, and reconnect with oneself in order to find inner peace and balance in the midst of a chaotic world.
When have you experienced a sense of detachment or feeling like you were already ahead of yourself in a certain situation?
What emotions did you feel during that time? How did it affect your actions and decisions?
Do you believe that this feeling of being ahead of yourself was a positive or negative experience? How did it shape your perspective on the situation in hindsight?
In what ways can this feeling of detachment be helpful in your personal or professional life? Are there situations where it could be detrimental?
“It was as if they'd discovered something that had once been there but had gotten hidden or misunderstood or forgotten over time, and they were charmed by it once more, and by one another. Which seems only right and expectable for married people. They caught a glimpse of the person they fell in love with, and who sustained life. For some, that vision must never dim - as is true of me. But it was odd that our parents should catch their glimpse, and have frustration, anxiety and worry pass away like clouds dispersing after a storm, refind their best selves, but for that glimpse to happen just before landing our family in ruin.”
“Against these forces -- an earth rotating, a sun lowering its angle in the sky, winds filling with rain and the geese arriving -- time is just a made-up thing, and recedes in importance, and should.”
“For a time after my divorce everything began to seem profoundly ironic to me. I found myself thinking of other peoples' worries as sources of amusement and private derision which I thought about at night to make myself feel better.”
“And since that is not how it has been for a long time, you want, this time, to make it last, this glistening one moment, this cool air, this new living, so that you can preserve a feeling of it, inasmuch as when it comes again it may just be too late. You may just be too old. And in truth, of course, this may be the last time that you will ever feel this way again.”
“Some things can't be explained. They just are. And after a while they disappear, usually forever, or become interesting in another way. Literature's consolations are always temporary, while life is quick to begin again. It is better not even to look so hard, to leave off explaining. Nothing makes me more queasy than to spend time with people who don't know that and who can't forget, and for whom such knowledge isn't a cornerstone of life.”
“What's friendship's realest measure?I'll tell you. The amount of precious time you'll squander on someone else's calamities and fuck-ups.”