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About this quote

What does it mean?
Kafka links happiness and youth to the ability to perceive beauty, suggesting that maintaining this perception prevents spiritual aging.
In plain terms
Youth is happy because it sees beauty; keeping this ability keeps you young.
What can you take from it?
Maintain your ability to see beauty to stay young at heart.

Where it applies

  • midlife crisis
  • art appreciation
  • personal growth

Putting it to work

  • notice beauty
  • cultivate wonder
  • stay open

Questions to consider

  • Do you still see beauty easily?
  • What makes you feel old?

Another view

Physical aging happens regardless of perception.

More from Franz Kafka

  1. You can hold yourself back from the sufferings of the world, that is something you are free to do and it accords with your nature, but perhaps this very holdin…

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  2. The only way Kafka could envisage of creating his in every respect impossible writing possible was to demarcate the area of impossibility by making a language …

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  3. You are free and that is why you are lost.

    Permalink to quote #121

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