Anyways, I came across this quote I really love. Fair warning, though, it's like a paragraph long:
"It was a strange feeling - not surprising, I supposed, since everything felt strange now - this being a natural at something. As a human, I'd never been best at anything. I was okay at dealing with Renee, but lots of people probably could have done better; Phil seemed to be holding his own. I was a good student, but never the top of the class. Obviously, I could be counted out of anything athletic. Not artistic, or musical, no particular talents to brag of. Nobody ever gave away a trophy for reading books. After eighteen years of mediocrity, I was pretty used to being average. I realized now that I'd long ago given up any aspirations of shining at anything. I just did the best with what I had, never quite fitting into my world."
This quote really fits me, but to me, it isn't depressing. I get hope, actually, i get the feeling that, sometime, I will get my world that I fit into, that finally makes sense. However, I showed it to one of my other friends, and he said that it was depressing, because that wouldn't happen to us, it's fiction. i guess that is just the difference between optimists and pessimists, but i was just wondering, what is your reaction to it? Do you think that quote is depressing? Do you even relate to it at all?
6 comments:
Actually I can also relate to this quote. It's not at all depressing. It just tells you that not all people can have a perfect life and it's always difficult. This quote shows you that life is not perfect.
I like this quote because it came from one of the greatest books of all time. I'm surprised you chose that quote to use though, when there are so many of Bella's spazzier moments that fit you so much better. (Don't deny it!)
Anyway, I like this quote too, because I think that everyone can relate to it. Also, I can hear Edward rolling his eyes in the background. Cute.
And what does your friend mean "fiction"? Vampires are real, aren't they? O_O Stephanie Meyer wouldn't lie to me! Your friend isn't a pessimist, he's psycho. *grumble grumble*
yeah, I agree Lorita.
And, Marissa? i know that Bella's spazzy moments fit too, but that's not exactly something to reflect on :P. (Besides, almost all of Bella's moment fit me. I'm sure I will mention our shared spazzyness at some point.)
Also, Burt was my friend, but that isn't exactly what he said. I paraphrased, because what he said wouldn't make sense to those unfortunate souls who haven't read the books yet. He actually said, "Wow.. That's kinda depressing. Because you and me aren't gonna become vampires, we are just going to continue in mediocrity."
haha don't worry I'm not a stalker i'm just Burt..
Yea i just wanted to clarify that it was depressing to me because well we all have our strengths and weaknesses like there are things we can do and things we can't. Well Bella was basically saying, "I can't do anything so I'm just gonna give up." I mean even after she get's everything she could ever ask for she's still so hard on herself trying to be better, which, well really frustrated me that she was ignoring how lucky she had it..
and i don't think it's pessimistic to realize that we may not ever shine at anything worthwhile. Obviously you can succeed at anything you put your mind to but how many things can your mind manage? Somewhere in life we have to choose between Friends, Work, or Love and i don't believe anyone is near perfect enough to pull it off. That's where the fiction comes in. In my opinion, yes, it is better to just work with what you have and be content when you find a lifestyle that suits you. However, if this surreal kind of hope helps you get through life then god bless.
P.S. i hope this doesn't mean i have to make a blogger account. i was just on MySpace and someone linked to their blog. then i was browsing around and i thought "hey this post seems familiar..." x]
I don't get the depressing vibe either, Alyssa. It would be depressing, sure, if it wasn't for the first sentence. But as a whole, I see this as sort of a revelatory moment in the character's life- the moment when he or she finally finds a rhythm that works, and everything begins to fall into place.
I don't think your (or blogless Burt's) worries about mediocrity are uncommon at your age or any age- indeed, almost by definition, mediocrity is something that 95% percent of us are feeling at any given time. The only thing I can tell you is that, as you gain experience, you tend to narrow down the field of things you haven't tried, at which you might just excel.
I won't go so far as to say that it comes to me naturally- because I still have miles to go before I'm the teacher I want to be- but standing in front of a class full of fifteen-year-olds is the closest I've come to feeling like I'm doing exactly what I was made to do. I hope you get to feel that one day too. I promise, it's more than made up for my lackluster first three decades.
I've still got to find the time to read these books. Vampires can serve as such ready metaphors for so many of the things we nonfictional characters have to deal with.
And speaking of fiction, it's oddly rewarding/disheartening to see that Burt's taken "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket" so much to heart...
Yeah, I feel like right now, and for the past year or so, I've just been waiting to get out of school, so I can start the more interesting part of my life... I know what i want to do, I just can't do much yet.
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