Ellen Glasgow Quotes

You, sleeping on your bed of nails. Weeping an ocean beyond the pale. Strange, sorrow is your greatest skill. You're suffering from overkill... Choose whether to laugh or to cry. Menace and promise mingle in your eye. Wait, it's only a matter of time. You know everything will be fine... Rain falls down and the seas run high. When you're by my side we can rise above it. Let me dry all the tears inside. On your way you cannot hide from the howling wind and the roaring tide. You might get hurt but your fears will subside when you at last escape from the tears inside.

Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.

It is possible to suffer and despair an entire lifetime and still not give up the art of laughter.

By remembering that I don't know sadness or pain like the people do in the camp and to be sad will not help them.

Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne those already laid upon you well — it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently.

I do not murmur, even if my heart break.

I've learned that some broken things stay broken, and I've learned that you can get through bad times and keep looking for better ones, as long as you have people who love you.

You have to stay strong when it gets tough.

For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And along the way, lessen the suffering of others. You'd be surprised how far that gets you.

Bear patiently, my heart, for you have suffered heavier things.

No matter how hard it rains, withstand the pain.

I have fought and kicked and fasted and prayed and cursed and cried myself to the point of existing.

I shake my head, but I can’t change this. I can only bear the scars, as I have always done, as I ever do.

Nobody can protect anybody else from vileness. Or from pain. All you can do is not let it break you in half and keep on going until you get to the other side.

This iron world bungs down the stoutest hearts to lowest state; for misery doth bravest minds abate.

For afterwards a man finds pleasure in his pains, when he has suffered long and wandered long. So I will tell you what you ask and seek to know.

The thing that matters is not what you bear, but how you bear it

... the deep experience of the lonely climb on the mountain of success brings a wealth beyond power to compute. To you all suffering is understandable and your heart opens wide in sympathy.

Surely there was something taught her by this experience of great need; and she must be learning a secret of human tenderness and long-suffering, that the less erring could hardly know?

No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable.

They merit more praise who know how to suffer misery than those who temper themselves in contentment.

Kindness-mere kindness-cannot tolerate suffering. Love can.

There is no misfortune, but to bear it nobly is good fortune.

When pain brings you down, don't be silly, don't close your eyes and cry, you just might be in the best position to see the sun shine.

Nay, nay!” said the Squire. “It’s not so easy to break one’s heart. Sometimes I’ve wished it were. But one has to go on living—‘all the appointed days,’ as is said in the Bible.