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Great Big Beautiful Life

Book by Emily Henry · 20 quotes · Love, Romance, Heartbreak

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Great Big Beautiful Life Quotes

“When do you think you stop?” I ask. “When you’re forty? When they die?” I shoot him a teasing look. “When you win a Pulitzer?” He scoffs quietly. “No, not then. Because then, suddenly, they’re incredibly proud, but they’re proud of the accomplishment, not of the work. So you feel like you have to keep accomplishing instead of just creating. It affirms the idea that the value in what you do is how people react to it, and not just in the making of it. I’ve written stuff I’m really proud of that hardly anyone read. I’ve written stuff I’m proud of that no one liked. That doesn’t mean it didn’t deserve to be written.” Now I’m genuinely smiling, my mood lifting almost instantly. “That’s a nice thought.” His huge shoulders lift in a shrug. “It’s true. How many of your favorite shows got canceled? How many of the best albums barely sold when they came out? I mean, It’s a Wonderful Life was a box office flop in its time. If everyone who worked on that movie had known, could see how things were going to pan out in the short term, would they have even bothered to make it? And then the world would’ve lost out on something beautiful. Just because something doesn’t make money or win awards doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. Or doesn’t deserve to exist. The job is alchemy. You take a hunk of rock and you try to turn it into gold, and the gold isn’t even really the point.” “Right, because the goal is immortality,” I joke. “It’s permanence,” he says. “Not, like, having your name on the side of a fucking airplane or skyscraper, or some shit like that. But bringing something intangible into the world that can live on without you. Something bigger than the person who made it. And even then, the goal is secondary to the process. The process is for us. It changes us in ways that can’t be measured. At least, that’s what I’ve always thought.” My grin is getting bigger by the second.”

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“I mean, It's a Wonderful Life was a box office flop in its time. If everyone who worked on that movie had known, could see how things were going to pan out in the short term, would they have even bothered to make it? And then the world would've lost out on something beautiful. Just because something doesn't make money or win awards doesn't mean it doesn't have value. Or doesn't deserve to exist. The job is alchemy. You take a hunk of rock and you try to turn it into gold, and the gold isn't even really the point." "Right, because the goal is immortality," I joke. "It's permanence," he says. "Not, like, having your name on the side of fucking airplane or skyscraper, or some shit like that. But bringing something intangible into the world that can live on without you. Something bigger than the person who made it. And even then, the goal is secondary to the process. The process is for us. It changes us in ways that can't be measured. At least, that's what I've always thought.”

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“Do you get lonely?” I meant it in the most innocent way possible, but as soon as it sneaks out, I tingle with embarrassment. But he just studies me seriously, like it’s a perfectly normal thing to ask someone you very clearly want to sleep with. “Sometimes I . . .” He hesitates. “You can tell me,” I say, almost a whisper. His jaw muscles leap. “Sometimes I just miss this. Being close to someone. Being touched. Not just sex, I mean.”

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“Then, suddenly, they're incredibly proud, but they're proud of the accomplishment, not of the work. So you feel like you have to keep accomplishing instead of just creating. It affirms the idea that the value in what you do is how people react to it, and not just the making of it. I've written stuff I'm really proud of that hardly anyone read. I've written stuff of I'm proud of that no one liked. That doesn't mean it didn't deserve to be written.”

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“I take a tiny sip of the lemonade, which turns into a long gulp, because it's amazing, fresh, and crisp with torn mint leaves swirling around along with the ice cubes. I set the glass down and force myself to get back to business. "Look, there are a lot more experienced writers you could pair up with. There are hundreds of people who would push me in front of a bus to get this job, and honestly, I'd understand it if they did." "Troubling," Margaret says.”

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“I almost spit it out, but at the last conceivable second force myself to just hold it in my mouth long enough to turn the cup around and read the name and order scratched on its side. Green tea. (Instantly less disgusting now that I know this.) Hayden. (Instantly more embarrassing.) "This must be yours then," a low, rumbling voice says behind me and I turn to find a large expanse of chest in front of me, a grey Purdue T-shirt clinging damply to it.”

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“I don't want to put anyone in a bad spot," I say. "Alice. You're in a bad spot," Cillian says. "It's fine," I say. "This really isn't that big of a deal. all things considered." "Well, then stop considering 'all things' for a minute," Priya says. "This doesn't have to be the greatest tragedy that ever befall anyone. It doesn't even have to be the worst thing that's ever happened to you." "Exactly," Bianca agrees. "You're hurting right now, that's what matters.”

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