“It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them. I was so preposterously serious in those days, such a humorless little prig. Lightly, lightly – it’s the best advice ever given me. When it comes to dying even. Nothing ponderous, or portentous, or emphatic. No rhetoric, no tremolos, no self conscious persona putting on its celebrated imitation of Christ or Little Nell. And of course, no theology, no metaphysics. Just the fact of dying and the fact of the clear light. So throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That’s why you must walk so lightly. Lightly my darling, on tiptoes and no luggage, not even a sponge bag, completely unencumbered.”
Aldous Huxley, Island (1962)
This is the final line, in the final book of the Harry Potter series, with the Deathly Hallows symbol forming the A. I tracked down the font used in the first editions and copied that so it would feel more genuine. This symbolises both endings and beginnings for me, and serves as a reminder of the magic of escapist literature.
We make up horrors to cope with real ones.
“You will hear thunder and remember me,
And think: she wanted storms. The rim
Of the sky will be the colour of hard crimson,
And your heart, as it was then, will be on fire.”
I’m a book blogger for almost four years, and in love with books since I can remember. Recently I made my pin-up inspired bookworm in my blog logo (www.lostinchicklit.com.br) as a form of homage to the books and the wonderful friends I’ve made on this journey. And I could not be happier, because besides all this, I now have in my skin for the rest of his life a drawing made by my baby sister!
What embitters the world is not excess of criticism, but an absence of self-criticism.
I was on the fence about which quote I wanted on my left forearm. As this is my first tattoo I did not want to make the mistake of getting a quote that I might regret. So I went with ‘simplicity’, a shortened version of Bruce Lee’s quote, ‘Simplicity is the key to brilliance’. This way, I have control over what I put on my forearm, with some inspiration from Bruce Lee. I like it as it serves as a reminder about our crazy lives, and to stand back for some perspective.
I suppose it is similar to what some people have with ‘unless’ from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
“You told me once that a soul isn’t something a person is born with but something that must be built, by effort and error, study and love. And you did that with more dedication than most, that work of building a soul - not for your own benefit but for the benefit of those who knew you.”
-Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding
Favourite quote from my favourite book.
Done by Dan at pureink in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England.
Life is a game and every player is cheating.
This is my “So it goes.” tattoo. I read Slaughterhouse Five in tenth grade and I feel in love with it. I’m studying to be a high school English teacher and I thought this pays homage to a great writer.
Throw yourself into life!
What makes night within us may leave stars.
I have “Life is Wonderful” tattoed across my arm as a reminder, and it is now my favorite body part!
“The road goes ever on…” from J.R.R Tolkien. It’s from one of the walking songs in The Lord of the Rings series.
Troy, True Blue Electric Tattoo (Knoxville, TN)
But everyone disappears, no matter who loves them.
