Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Peter Schjeldahl

Quote by Peter Schjeldahl

“Life doesn’t go on. It goes nowhere except away. Death goes on. Going on is what death does for a living. The secret to surviving in the universe is to be dead.”

Quote by Peter Schjeldahl

Create image

Author

Peter Schjeldahl
Peter Schjeldahl

Peter Schjeldahl is a renowned art critic, born on March 20, 1942. His review works cover a wide range of modern and contemporary art, and have had a profound impact on the art world. more

You May Also Like

“Skinny as Mum was, she'd always had a good appetite, so when she couldn't eat her roast potatoes I knew the end must be nigh. [...] We opened our presents and Mum put a polka-dot shower cap on her head and let us take pictures of her in it, which was most unlike her, she liked to be a bit dignified about things. This was another indication that she knew she was dying. Other signs to look out for are when an elderly person starts giving away their things – usually about two or three years before they die – and if they insist, rather aggressively, on returning anything they've borrowed or get annoyed if you give them gifts – they don't want any more clutter.”

DyingDeath Of A Loved OneDeath Of A ParentDying QuotesDying PeopleSigns Of DeathSigns Of Dying
Book:Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys
Create image

“I love you. How many times have you been asked, "How are you" today? It's a dreadful question. It's an absurd question. Knowing you and seeing what has happened in your life makes me stop in my tracks and catch myself before I ask anyone that question again. How the hell can you answer that question in the aisle of a supermarket? Come back to the house, you say. Bring your toothbrush and call your boss. You will need a week to hear the complete answer. And you will never be the same if you listen. It's the question that the entire human race reduces itself to each and every day, in each and every encounter, and without the intention of ever truly hearing the answer.”

DeathPoetryLossGriefDyingPoemGrievingMourningWidowsSpouses
Author:Christine Silverstein
Create image

“For me, raging and raging like a wild, irrational beast, denying one’s own mortality, clinging to delusion and false hopes, pursuing treatment at the cost of living in the moment, sacrificing one’s quality of life for the sake of quantity, none of this is graceful or dignified, and all of it denies us our contemplative and evolved humanity; such acts do not cultivate an invincible spirit; such acts are not testaments to inner strength and fortitude. For me, true inner strength lies in facing death with serenity, in recognizing that death is not the enemy but simply an inevitable part of life.”

DeathDyingMortality
Book:The Unwinding of the Miracle: A Memoir of Life, Death, and Everything That Comes After
Create image