BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Inspiration Inspiration Quote

After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too.

Celeste Ng

Celeste Ng’s bestselling book "Little Fires Everywhere" uses fire, both literal and figurative, as a symbol for loss and potential fresh starts throughout its explorations of identity. In the same way fire can increase soil fertility, people can emerge stronger and more capable, and with a revitalized sense of self, after enduring life's trials and challenges. Adversity is often a catalyst for personal transformation and renewal, not unlike the natural world’s ability to regenerate and flourish after destruction.

We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali writer gifted in many mediums, from short stories and essays to songs and plays. In 1913, he became the first non-European writer in history to be awarded a Nobel Prize for literature. Three years later, Tagore published “Stray Birds,” a collection of 326 philosophical verses and brief poems that includes this line. Despite his talents, Tagore understood that the best human trait is a modest and unassuming nature, which enables us to listen well, form unexpected bonds, and learn from others.

Live, and be happy, and make others so.

Mary Shelley

Spoken by a character in Mary Shelley’s famous 1818 novel, “Frankenstein,” this simple yet profound quote answers questions on the meaning of life with a compassionate command. If we can pursue true happiness and seek to bring joy to others as well, we can celebrate a life well-lived.

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.

Jane Austen

The titular character of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel “Emma” is a privileged young woman whose matchmaking attempts have disastrous consequences. Emma meddles in the love life of her friend Harriet Smith, who is kind and beautiful but nonetheless lacks the sophistication and social status that Emma takes for granted. In this quote, Emma reflects on Harriet’s tenderhearted nature and realizes that it is this attribute, above all else, that makes Harriet not only a good friend, but also a desirable wife. Emma’s epiphany is a reminder that compassion and thoughtfulness are qualities that can transcend other more superficial traits when it comes to winning affection and admiration.

I have been bent and broken, but — I hope — into a better shape.

Charles Dickens

Though his classic novels — including “Great Expectations” and “David Copperfield” — are now widely beloved, Charles Dickens’ real-life fortune ebbed and flowed similarly to those of his fictional characters. After a relatively comfortable childhood, family financial trouble drove him to work in a factory at just 12 years old. Those years, as well as his later work as a law clerk and court journalist, shaped the stories he would go on to write. Dickens’ work often focuses on the difficulties of poverty, especially for children, but also on how people can make the best of their circumstances. In this quote from “Great Expectations,” the beautiful Estella speaks of resilience and reminds us that we are often stronger for the challenges we face.

Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind.

James Baldwin

With more than 30 published works to his name, James Baldwin is considered one of the quintessential voices of the Black American community. In his fiction, memoirs, and poetry, he explored the effects of racism through both individual perspectives and social commentary. This quote comes from his 1974 novel “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which focuses on the love story between a Black couple after one of them is falsely convicted of a crime. Baldwin’s words encourage us to actively engage with the world around us, for we can only drive change if we first choose to take action.

Life is wide, limitless. There is no border, no frontier.

Bruce Lee

In his book “Striking Thoughts,” actor, martial artist, and philosopher Bruce Lee illustrates the boundless opportunities life presents us. It is never too late to learn something new, love something new, or become someone new. In fact, often the greatest impediments to creating the lives we desire most aren’t the speed bumps we hit along the way, but the limitations we put on ourselves before we even begin the journey.

They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.

Edgar Allan Poe

Some writers are capable of creating such a strong sense of tone and imagery that the mere mention of their name — Dickens, Lovecraft, Kafka — instantly conjures up a specific feeling. Edgar Allan Poe was one such writer. His poems and short stories, his tales of mystery and the macabre, are shrouded in dark atmospheres dripping with Gothic wonder. His imagery is often morbid and tinged with madness, but it’s always captivating. This quote comes from the 1842 short story “Eleonora” and explores the notion that those who allow their conscious minds and imaginations to wander can often gain more insights and ideas than those who only dream while asleep. Poe often pondered the concept of dreaming; as he wrote in a celebrated 1849 poem, “All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” One of Poe’s great powers was the ability to channel his dreams into such timeless literary works as “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

There’s a wall between you and what you want and you got to leap it.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is generally regarded as one of the greatest songwriters in history — and he has a Nobel Prize in literature to prove it. The folk singer earned the award for his poetic and often moving lyrics. Take this one from Dylan’s 1981 song “The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar” off the album “Shot of Love.” It encourages us to seize the moment, to bust through our fears and overcome obstacles. We won’t reach our dreams, Dylan warns, without the courage to leap.

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.
~Douglas Pagels