#thou mayest

[dreamparadigm]

“I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed - because ‘Thou mayest’.” ~ East of Eden by John Steinbeck

[hisinfernalmajesty666]

But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’ Don’t you see?”

East of Eden, p.351, John Steinbeck, 1952.

[cecilia37]

“But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed - because 'Thou mayest.” 

-- John Steinbeck, East of Eden.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[h/t Carey]

* * * *

“But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.”

― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

[oceans-razor]

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” -John Steinbeck

[thefogoflife]

East of Eden - John Steinbeck

Does indulging in this secret pond make us inhuman, or pure human? Is malevolence inherent in us, or is it learned? Why is it that we can never have a purely good deity? I think it's to quell the flame of guilt in ourselves fueled by this pond.

Fuck, I love this book.

[awellreadwoman]

John Steinbeck, East of Eden

[breanna-lynn]

M o r n i n g r e f l e c t i o n / I used to do this all the time and recently revisiting how I spent my mornings reminded me of how much I missed this. 📖 Peaceful, quiet morning reading and writing over coffee.