This quote by Dovlatov is a wonderful provocateur of life. Something that helps me get off the couch and keep going wrong, disappointed and hopeful.
“This thought, covered with eternal Dovlatov’s sadness, seems to me an excellent provocateur of life, movement along it, and, consequently, a source of optimism. Any dogmas, any absolutes can turn out to be just sand castles and mirages. It’s not about them, it’s about the nuances. Our personal path lies precisely in the nuances. There are no footprints on it, we are the pioneers. And walking is always better than standing, even if the result is disappointment. Honestly, this thought does not pulsate in me by itself. From time to time I have to force the will to resuscitate her, pull myself off the couch and go on making mistakes, disappointment and hope.
* Sergei Dovlatov (1941–1990), Russian writer and journalist. In 1978 he emigrated to the USA. Quote from the story «The Reserve» (Azbuka, Azbuka-Atticus, 2012).