We think love is about finding someone who completes us. Rilke thinks that is a disaster.
Rilke’s most famous advice is also his most radical: “If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches.” cartas a un joven poeta rainer maria rilke
He isn't romanticizing misery. He is saying that the voice you need to listen to is the one that only speaks when you are alone. We think love is about finding someone who completes us
So, if you are a young poet—or simply a young human—put down the phone tonight. Pick up this tiny blue book. And let Rilke walk you home to yourself. He is saying that the voice you need
He warns that young people usually throw themselves at each other to avoid facing their own loneliness. But that isn't love; that is distraction. Real love is difficult. It asks you to become a whole person first.
If you are feeling lost, overwhelmed by the news, or simply stuck in the performance of adulthood, here is why this 120-year-old book still stings.