Lightly Child, Lightly.

Posted on by Live & Learn

You will live many more years. Many more, in fact, than anyone would have predicted for you. You will read—and sometimes even understand—Nietzsche and Heidegger and Aristotle and Confucius and a bunch of other great thinkers, trying to make some sense out of your world. But you often think that you have never heard a better philosophy than what Mary says that night, drunk on her back porch: It’s the bad parts that make you realize how good the great parts are.

— Rob Roberge, Liar: A Memoir (Crown, February 9, 2016) 

Notes:

  • Post Title & Inspiration: Aldous Huxley: “It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.”

23 thoughts on “Lightly Child, Lightly.”

  1. I LOVE this quote! And I love Mary – for we all have one friend who reminds you to nod at the hyperbole, agree with the portentous thoughts of the philosophers – but live with more basic truths. Roger and Ebert give this two thumbs up 👍🏼

    1. I love what Mimi said (and ever so more eloquently than I could). You can dress your thoughts up in finery, but at the end of the day, it’s really not that complicated–Ya can’t appreciate the light if ya never have the shadows.

  2. Interesting guy, this Rob Roberge.
    On one hand we like this Huxley-quote on the other hand it’s over-used, isn’t it?
    What Mary said, well, that’s what everyone knows, but she was drunk, it really sounds like it.
    All the best
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

  4. drunken Mary was right! Love that ‘statement’ It’s the bad parts that make you realize how good the great parts are

  6. Do you know anyone who hasn’t experienced plenty of “the bad spots”? Seems to be a matter of realizing the great parts…or simply good parts…and remembering to be fully there. Will have to find our more about Robert and Mary…

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