Sarah

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“The closer they get to Broughton, the more the sand dunes bunch together on the collar of the road. He'd wander out here as a lad, carefree, and tumble down the slopes for hours with kids from other towns he'd never see again. Back then, he wouldn't give much thought to smashed-up bottles that were dumped there, or the damage he could do an ankle treading in a burrow. He's forgotten that simplicity, that joy. It's true what Mr Acheson is saying about the world and all its noise, but mostfolk seem to carry on undaunted, just like children gaily sliding down a sand dune. When did he stop sliding for fear of broken glass and bloody knees?”
― Benjamin Wood, Seascraper

tags: growing-up, inspirational, reflection

3 likes

“When you're young, you think life is a string of choices. It's either you choose this door or the other door, or jump out of the window. You don't realise that most of what'll happen to you is because of other people's choices. There's a door already opened for you, so you walk straight through it, and you wonder how you wound up on the fire escape. That's life, I'm telling you. Don't bother getting older. Art's the only way I've ever had of making any sense of it.”
― Benjamin Wood, Seascraper

tags: ageing, art, choices, life, luck

16 likes

“He didn't know there was another edge to Edgar's temperament: a blunter side that's not so organised or easy-going. There's no doubt that he prefers the other version who arrives with steaks and writes him cheques, but he'll forgive a bloke his flaws if there's no malice in them.”
― Benjamin Wood, Seascraper

tags: flaws, personality, perspective

1 likes

“He waves back keenly, but it feels inadequate. They've become two strangers pantomiming fondness for each other. Perhaps that's all they ever were.”
― Benjamin Wood, Seascraper

tags: friendship, performance, strangers

5 likes

“And, just as it only takes a moment to die, it only takes a moment to live. You just close your eyes and let every futile fear slip away. And then, in this new state, free from fear, you ask yourself: who am I? If I could live without doubt what would I do? If I could be kind without the fear of being fucked over? If I could love without fear of being hurt? If I could taste the sweetness of today without thinking of how I will miss that taste tomorrow? If I could not fear the passing of time and the people it will steal? Yes. What would I do? Who would I care for? What battle would I fight? Which paths would I step down? What joys would I allow myself? What internal mysteries would I solve? How, in short, would I live?”
― Matt Haig, How to Stop Time

tags: death, fear, life, living

286 likes

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