"Misery won't touch you gentle. It always leaves its thumbprints on you; sometimes it leaves them for others to see, sometimes for nobody but you to know of." -Edwidge Danticat
This quote by Edwidge Danticat can relate to writing in that it highlights the impact of personal experiences on the writer. Writing often involves the exploration of personal experiences and emotions, and sometimes those experiences can be difficult or painful. As Danticat suggests, these experiences can leave a lasting imprint on the writer, shaping their perspective and the stories they choose to tell. In this way, writing can be a form of processing and coping with the challenges and hardships of life, as well as a way to connect with others who may have experienced similar struggles. It also highlights the power of writing to capture and communicate the complexity of human emotions and experiences.
A person experiences pain or suffering, it is not something that can be easily forgotten or brushed off. The metaphor of "thumbprints" implies that the effects of misery leave a lasting impression on a person, similar to how a physical thumbprint cannot be easily removed. Additionally, the quote implies that even if others do not see the effects of misery on a person, the individual themselves will always carry the weight of their experience.
Edwidge Danticat is a Haitian-American author.