“Don't let the cat out or the concierge in: this is the first principle of socialist ladies.” FirstsPrinciplesCatSocialist Author:Muriel Barbery
“This pause in time, within time ... When did I first experience the exquisite sense of surrender that is only possible with another person? The peace of mind one experiences on one's own, one's certainty of self in the serenity of solitude, are nothing in comparison to the release and openness and fluency one shares with another, in close companionship.” MindFirstsPersonsSelfShareSolitudeSurrenderReleaseCertaintyComparisonPeace Of MindOpennessSerenityPausesCompanionshipExquisiteFluency Author:Muriel Barbery
“...This is the first time I have met someone who seeks out people and who sees beyond. [...] We never look beyond our assumptions and, what's worse, we have given up trying to meet others; we just meet ourselves. We don't recognize each other because other people have become our permanent mirrors. If we actually realized this, if we were to become aware of the fact that we are alone in the wilderness, we would go crazy. [...] As for me, I implore fate to give me the chance to see beyond myself and truly meet someone.” PeopleIfsGivingTryingFirstsLooksFactsGivenChanceFateCrazyMetsFirst TimeGive MeMirrorsPermanentAssumptionWildernessGiven Up Author:Muriel Barbery
“There's so much humanity in a love of trees, so much nostalgia for our first sense of wonder, so much power in just feeling our own insignificance when we are surrounded by nature...yes, that's it: just thinking about trees and their indifferent majesty and our love for them teaches us how ridiculous we are - vile parasites squirming on the surface of the earth - and at the same time how deserving of life we can be, when we can honor this beauty that owes us nothing.” ThinkingFirstsFeelingsEarthHumanityWonderTeachTreeHonorSurfaceNostalgiaRidiculousIndifferentOur LoveMajestyDeservingParasitesSense Of WonderInsignificance Author:Muriel Barbery
“or the first time in my life I understood the meaning of the word never. And it's really awful. You say the word a hundred times a day but you don't really know what you're saying until you're faced with a real "never again."” KnowsFirstsRealUnderstoodHundredFirst TimeAwful Author:Muriel Barbery
“There's so much humanity in a love of trees, so much nostalgia for our first sense of wonder, so much power in just feeling our own insignificance when we are surrounded by nature.” FirstsFeelingsHumanityWonderTreeNostalgiaSense Of WonderInsignificance Author:Muriel Barbery
