This pause in time, within time ... When did I first experience the exquisite sense of surrender that is only possible with another person? The peace of mind one experiences on one's own, one's certainty of self in the serenity of solitude, are nothing in comparison to the release and openness and fluency one shares with another, in close companionship ...

Meaning: A difficult day can cast a shadow over the evening that follows. The saying expresses how trouble carries on in experience, but its word never is an exaggeration: later rest, support or a change of circumstances can still help.

Meaning: Persistent worry can wear down even someone imagined as resilient. The cat’s death exaggerates the burden of care and encourages attention to strain rather than admiration for endless endurance.

Meaning: Even something imagined to be unusually resilient can be worn down by worry. The cat’s nine lives make the exaggeration of care killing it more striking.

Meaning: The saying recommends relinquishing resentment, forgetting a wrong and forgiving as a path towards a happier life. That is an aspiration, not a guarantee or a duty to excuse ongoing harm.