Grief ... gives life a permanently provisional feeling. It doesn't seem worth starting anything. I can't settle down. I yawn, I fidget, I smoke too much. Up till this I always had too little time. Now there is nothing but time. Almost pure time, empty successiveness.

Summary

In this quote, the speaker reflects on the experience of grief and its impact on their perception of life. Grief is described as creating a sense of impermanence, making it difficult to find purpose or motivation. The speaker feels restless and unable to focus, resorting to unhealthy habits like excessive smoking. Grief has changed their relationship with time, transforming it into an empty and uninterrupted succession. Previously, they may have felt rushed and lacking time, but now they find themselves surrounded by an abundance of empty time.

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