music of the spheres

You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day.

It wasn’t because of the pain that I was silent, it was because of the ugliness of that pain.

Yes, even when I don’t believe— there is a place in me inaccessible to unbelief, a patch of wild grace, a stubborn preserve, impenetrable, pain untouched by the sleeping body, music that builds its nest in silence.

“The description of genius with feminine images did not serve to bridge the gulf between male and female artists, partly because of the different ways that their creativity was conceived. Actual childbirth was regarded as an outgrowth of women’s “natural” biological role; their own particular emotions and sensitivities were similarly regarded as manifestations of what nature bestowed upon them. Their artistic expression was thereby categorized less as achievement than as natural display; consequently the expression of feeling in women’s art was often seen as a manifestation of temperament, while strong feelings expressed in the work of men were interpreted as emotions conveyed with mastery and control. By this way of thinking, emotions in women’s art are a byproduct of nature; in contrast, the genius of the male artist produces a new creation that transcends the dictates of nature”

What I mean by passion is not just that you have something you care about. What I mean is that you care about the same ultimate goal in an abiding, loyal, steady way. You are not capricious. Each day, you wake up thinking of the questions you fell asleep thinking about. You are, in a sense, pointing in the same direction, even eager to take even the smallest step forward than to take a step to the side, toward some other destination. At the extreme, one might call your focus obsessive. Most of your actions derive their significance from their allegiance to your ultimate concern, your life philosophy. You have your priorities in order.

I want, she said, a theory that explains everything.

I want to recommend that you look closely at the things you don’t like about yourself, and examine how they function in your life. What if some of your most embarrassing traits are actually strengths and charms, or they’re closely tied to your strengths and your charms? What if some of your most shameful habits reflect deeply felt values of yours? What if the person you’re trying to bury is the person you need to treat with compassion and kindness, to resurrect and embrace?