"Je ne peux que constater que le passé est beau car on ne réalise jamais une émotion sur le moment. Elle s'étend plus tard, et ainsi nous n'avons pas d'émotions complètes sur le présent, seulement sur le passé."
— Virginia Woolf
Simplified Meaning:
When we look back at our past, it often seems wonderful because we didn't fully feel or understand our emotions while living those moments. For example, during a fun family vacation, you might have worried about little things like forgetting sunscreen or your kids arguing. At the time, these worries probably prevented you from fully enjoying the trip. But years later, when you remember that vacation, you mostly recall the joy, bonding, and laughter, not the small stresses. This happens because our feelings about the past grow and become clearer over time. Meanwhile, in the present, we can't appreciate everything fully because we're distracted by immediate concerns and details. By understanding this, we can remind ourselves to enjoy moments as they happen, knowing that our best memories will become even more beautiful when we look back on them.
