Quotes from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy

Irvin D. Yalom ·  272 pages

Rating: (3.5K votes)


“I explain to my patients that abused children often find it hard to disentangle themselves from their dysfunctional families, whereas children grow away from good, loving parents with far less conflict. After all, isn't that the task of a good parent, to enable the child to leave home?”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“every single person in the world is fundamentally alone. It’s hard, but that’s the way it is, and we have to face it.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“I hate it that she has so insinuated herself into the interstices of my mind that I can never root her out. And most of all, I hate that at the end of my life I feel compelled to ask, "How'd I do, Mama?".”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“Credinta, oricat de pasionata, de pura, de arzatoare, nu spune absolut nimic despre realitatea existentei lui Dumnezeu”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“Am invatat demult ca atunci cand intre doua persoane este un lucru grav si nu vorbesc despre el, nu vorbesc nici despre altceva important.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy



“Confruntarea cu moartea iminenta poate sa propulseze omul in intelepciune si la o noua profunzime a existentei.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“Cinstea mai presus de toate. Un sceptic convins in toate celelalte privinte, Ernest credea cu o fervoare fundamentalista in forta tamaduitoare a cinstei. Catehismul lui cerea cinste – insa o cinste temperata, selectiva. Si cinste responsabila, plina de grija: cinste in serviciul ingrijirii.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“Oamenii se iubesc pe ei insisi daca vad o imagine iubitoare a lor reflectata in ochii cuiva de care le pasa cu adevarat.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“Am invatat in munca mea, ca se tem cel mai mult de moarte cei care se apropie de ea avand prea multa viata netraita in ei. Cel mai bine este sa ne folosim toata viata. Sa nu-i lasam mortii decat drojdiile, nimic altceva decat un castel ars pana in temelii.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy


“Nu numai ca fictiunea isi are propriul adevar, dar orice povestire, oricat de „adevarata”, este o minciuna pentru ca omite atat de multe.”
― Irvin D. Yalom, quote from Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy



About the author

Irvin D. Yalom
Born place: in Washington DC, The United States
Born date June 13, 1931
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Popular quotes

“The watching feeling is getting worse.

I am not an experiment.

I am not a stupid joke, or a trippy game, or an experiment. I will not go insane. Something bad is gonnae happen, though. I can feel it. It’s in the way that crisp bag has faded from the rain. I am not an experiment. If I keep saying it, I’ll start believing it. I have to try. I am not an experiment. It doesnae sound convincing. It sounds stupid.

Try it in German. Ich bin nicht eine experiment. My German’s shite. Inhale slowly to the count of four, look hard at the tip of my nose and try again. This time I go for an official BBC broadcaster circa-1940 accent.

Today, one finds one is not, in actual fact, a social experiment. One is a real person. This is real actual skin as seen containing the bodily organs of a real actual human being with a heart and soul and dreams.

It’s true that I came from real people once too, and they were a jolly old sort, with no naked psycho-ess in any way.

I, the young Miss Anais, understand wholly that I am just a human being that no one is interested in. No experiment. No outside fate. I am not that important, and that is just fine by me. I propose a stiff upper lip and onward Christian soldiers, quick-bloody-march! This is Anais Hendricks, telling the nation: to be me is really quite spiff-fucking-spoff, lashings of love, your devoted BBC broadcaster since 1938.”
― Jenni Fagan, quote from The Panopticon


“McAllister is expected to bond with her consort during her twenty-first year, thus ensuring she will come into her full powers. However, the clock is ticking down, and her consort has yet to make an appearance. She instead”
― C.J. Archer, quote from The Paranormal 13


“His eyes made her think of water at night—full of mysteries and hints, revealing little.”
― Eileen Wilks, quote from Mortal Danger


“Don't ever marry a man who loves his work more than he loves you.”
― Kristan Higgins, quote from Just One of the Guys


“People who really want to make a difference in the world usually do it, in one way or another. And I’ve noticed something about people who make a difference in the world: They hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren’t determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they’re satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world. People who want to make a difference get frustrated along the way. But if they have a particularly stressful day, they don’t quit. They keep going. Given their accomplishments, most of them are shockingly normal and the way they spend each day can be quite mundane. They don’t teach grand lessons that suddenly enlighten entire communities; they teach small lessons that can bring incremental improvement to one man or woman, boy or girl. They don’t do anything to call attention to themselves, they simply pay attention to the everyday needs of others, even if it’s only one person. They bring change in ways most people will never read about or applaud. And because of the way these world-changers are wired, they wouldn’t think of living their lives any other way.”
― Katie J. Davis, quote from Kisses from Katie: A Young Woman's Journey of Faith A Remote Village A Love without Limits


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