For the past year or so, I have been noting down interesting phrases or passages from any reading. Here are two from Philip Roth's American Pastoral:
"Yes, alone we are, deeply alone, and always, in store for us, a layer of loneliness even deeper. There is nothing we can do to dispose of that. No, loneliness shouldn’t surprise us, as astonishing to experience as it may be."
"That’s how we know we’re alive: we’re wrong. Maybe the best thing would be to forget being right or wrong about people and just go along for the ride. But if you can do that—well, lucky you."
(However, I must admit I am not feeling nearly as woeful as the quotes might imply).
