Quote

In my clean-up efforts, I've found another yellow piece of paper, which will go in the garbage, but I'll keep the quote on it here. I don't know the author, though.

VANITY:
We want to prove to ourselves that we are lovers on the grand scale, tragic heros; not just ordinary privates in the huge army of the bereaved, slogging along and making the best of a bad job.

This seems a little depressing, but it helps us deal with the fact that life is often difficult and we don't live up to the heroic standards we may have for ourselves, that in fact these heroic standards may be vain. It can be a letting go of self-righteousness and self-chosen works, which can be healing.