Find Me

by André Aciman

We laughed because neither of us believed the other was serious. I laughed because I knew I was.

“Everything in my life was merely prologue until now, merely delay, merely pastime, merely waste of time until I came to know you.”

Pride is the nickname we give fear.

I am full of contradictions.”

‘So it’s worse than I thought,’ she said. ‘Why?’ I asked. ‘Because against a woman I still stand a chance, but against who you are, there’s nothing I can do. I cannot change you.’

I’m shy, I’m scared, and I’m old.”

Le temps d’apprendre à vivre il est déjà trop tard, by the time we learn to live, it’s already too late.

Perhaps, says the genius, music doesn’t change us that much, nor does great art change us. Instead, it reminds us of who, despite all our claims or denials, we’ve always known we were and are destined to remain.

I’ve had Micol, you’ve had Michel, just as I’ve loved a young Elio and you a younger me. They’ve made us who we are. Let’s not pretend they never existed, but I don’t want to look back.”