Quotes from Proust Marcel

with one image he would make that beauty explode into me.

There is hardly a single action that we perform in that phase which we would not give anything, in later life, to be able to annul. Whereas what we ought to regret is that we no longer posses the spontaneity which made us perform them. In later life we look at things in a more practical way, in full conformity with the rest of society, but adolescence is the only period in which we learn anything.

l'oubli dont je commençais à sentir la force et qui est un si puissant instrument d'adaptation à la réalité parce qu'il détruit peu à peu le passé survivant qui est en constante contradiction avec elle.

The alleged 'sensitivity' of neurotic people is matched by their egotism; they cannot abide the flaunting by others of the sufferings to which they pay an ever-increasing attention in themselves.

Do not wait for life. Do not long for it. Be aware, always and at every moment, that the miracle is in the here and now.

Legatura dintre o fiinta si noi nu exista decat in gandul nostru. Amintirea, stergandu-se, legaturile slabesc si in ciuda iluziei cu care am vrea sa ne amagim si cu care din dragoste, din prietenie, din politete, din respect omenesc, din datorie ii amagim pe ceilalti, existam singuri. Omul este faptura ce nu poate iesi din sine, ce nu-i cunoaste pe ceilalti decat in sine; si, spunand contrariul, minte.

Il n'y a pas de réussite facile ni d'échecs définitifs.

Ce lucru mai obisnuit decat minciuna, fie ca e vorba sa ascunzi de pilda slabiciunile zilnice ale unei sanatati despre care vrei sa se creada ca e robusta, sa ascunzi un viciu, sau sa te indrepti fara sa jignesti pe nimeni, spre locul pe care il preferi? E instrumentul de conservare cel ami necesar si cel mai intrebuintat.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

Ma consolation, c'est de penser aux femmes que j'ai connues, aujourd'hui qu'il n'y a plus d'élegance