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About this quote

What does it mean?
Josif promises eternal love in his heart but realizes the thought is a lie he knows is false.
In plain terms
He promises eternal love but knows he is lying to himself.
What can you take from it?
We often make promises we know we cannot keep.

Where it applies

  • making empty promises
  • dealing with heartbreak
  • moving on

Putting it to work

  • accepting impermanence
  • honesty with oneself

Questions to consider

  • Can you lie to yourself?
  • Is forgetting love the same as betraying it?

Another view

The text equates changing feelings with lying, which overlooks natural human change.

More from Orson Scott Card

  1. She thinks it's all better now, Josif thought bitterly. She thinks she's kept me. She would have kept me better if she had let me go now.

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  2. Why are you at war with yourself? I want things that I do not want to want. Please leave me But why shouldn't you have what you want?

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  3. Kyaren, I don't want to leave you Then don't It's because I love you that I want to leave If you love me, you'll stay' he had known it, from the moment she app…

    Permalink to quote #819

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