“I thank God that this refreshing childhood vision still lives inside me in all its fullness of color and sound. This is what keeps my mind untouched by wastage, keeps it from withering and running dry. It is the sacred drop of immortal water which prevents me from dying.”

—  Nikos Kazantzakis , book Report to Greco

"The Son", Ch. 4, p. 49
Report to Greco (1965)
Context: I thank God that this refreshing childhood vision still lives inside me in all its fullness of color and sound. This is what keeps my mind untouched by wastage, keeps it from withering and running dry. It is the sacred drop of immortal water which prevents me from dying. When I wish to speak of the sea, woman, or God in my writing, I gaze down in my breast and listen carefully to what the child within me says. He dictates to me; and if it sometimes happens that I come close to these great forces of the sea, woman, and God, approach them by means of words and depict them, I owe it to the child who still lives within me. I become a child again to enable myself to view the world always for the first time, with virgin eyes.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I thank God that this refreshing childhood vision still lives inside me in all its fullness of color and sound. This is…" by Nikos Kazantzakis?
Nikos Kazantzakis photo
Nikos Kazantzakis 222
Greek writer 1883–1957

Related quotes

Pete Doherty photo

“What did I dream? Oh, what did I dream?
No one can keep me from my…
No one could keep me from my…
No fucker gonna keep me from my…
Oh, what did I dream?”

Pete Doherty (1979) English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist

"Loyalty Song"
Lyrics and poetry

Henry Rollins photo

“Keep me preoccupied
Keep me busy, busy, busy
So I won't have to think
I don't want to think
Because it only brings me pain
I just keep running away from
My problems
Keep me busy
Give me a million things to do
So I can keep running away from myself.”

Henry Rollins (1961) American singer-songwriter
Rudolf Nureyev photo

“The main thing is dancing, and before it withers away from my body, I will keep dancing till the last moment, the last drop.”

Rudolf Nureyev (1938–1993) Soviet ballet dancer and choreographer

Source: As quoted in 1990, "Rudolf Nureyev, Charismatic Dancer Who Gave Fire to Ballet's Image, Dies at 54" in The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/07/arts/rudolf-nureyev-charismatic-dancer-who-gave-fire-to-ballet-s-image-dies-at-54.html (7 January 1993)

Van Morrison photo

“Someone to hold onto
And keep me from all fear
Someone to be my guiding light
And keep me ever dear
To keep me from my selfishness
To keep me from my sorrow
To lead me on to givingness
So I can see a new tomorrow.”

Van Morrison (1945) Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician

If I Ever Needed Someone
Song lyrics, His Band and the Street Choir (1970)

Thomas Merton photo

“Ask me not where I live or what I like to eat… Ask me what I am living for and what I think is keeping me from living fully that.”

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) Priest and author

Source: Thoughts in Solitude

Patti Smith photo

“What is the soul? What color is it? I suspected my soul, being mischievous, might slip away while I was dreaming and fail to return. I did my best not to fall asleep, to keep it inside of me where it belonged.”

Patti Smith Just Kids

Source: Just Kids

Bill Hicks photo

“I wish I could meet a Christian who would proselytize to me, but they keep running away from me. I wanna talk to you all.”

Bill Hicks (1961–1994) American comedian

Shock and Awe (2003)

Thomas Merton photo

“If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.”

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) Priest and author
Jennifer Lawrence photo

“My parents were the exact opposite of stage parents. They did everything in their power to keep it from happening. But it was going to happen no matter what. I was like, "Thanks for raising me, but I'm going to take it from here."”

Jennifer Lawrence (1990) American actress

on starting her career - Schneller, Johanna. "‘Thanks for raising me, but I’m going to take it from here’" http://web.archive.org/web/20120403062819/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/johanna-schneller/interview-with-winters-bone-star-jennifer-lawrence/article1600683/. theglobeandmail.com. June 11, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2014.

Related topics