Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Extreme emotional states like pure sorrow or pure joy are impossible to sustain completely.
In plain terms
You cannot have completely pure sorrow or completely pure joy.
What can you take from it?
Emotions are mixed; pure states are impossible.

Where it applies

  • processing feelings
  • expecting extremes

Putting it to work

  • accept mixed emotions
  • avoid extremes

Questions to consider

  • Have you ever felt pure joy?
  • Is perfect sorrow possible?

Another view

It generalizes human emotional capacity across all contexts.

More from Leo Tolstoy

  1. For us, with the rule of right and wrong given us by Christ, there is nothing for which we have no standard. And there is no greatness where there is not simpl…

    Permalink to quote #31
  2. History is the life of nations and of humanity. To seize and put into words, to describe directly the life of humanity or even of a single nation, appears impo…

    Permalink to quote #33
  3. To love life is to love God. Harder and more blessed than all else is to love this life in one's sufferings, in undeserved sufferings.

    Permalink to quote #30

Related quotes

  1. Most of the appearance of mirth in the world is not mirth, it is art. The wounded spirit is not seen, but walks under a disguise.

    Robert SouthRobert South quote #7
  2. Jamais nous ne goutons de parfaite allegresse: Nos plus heureux succes sont meles de tristesse.

    Pierre CorneillePierre Corneille quote #16
  3. Man was made for joy and woe, And when this we rightly know Through the world we safely go.

    William BlakeWilliam Blake quote #130