Wednesday, October 26, 2016

We must say Yes to life

"One must say Yes to life, and embrace it wherever it is found - and it is found in terrible places... For nothing is fixed, forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out." 

-- James Baldwin 

1 comment:

Katherine C. James said...

How lovely to find this in my email last night, at the end of a long day. A college boyfriend sent me a love letter with this James Baldwin quote in it. The beauty and the power of the words have stayed with me. In particular, what Baldwin says about the imperfection and impermanence of our world, balanced by a way to salvation with the lines, "The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out." Here is to holding each other and to faith in each other. Here is to living in light. xo.