Quote by Neal Stephenson
... when I saw any of those kinds of beauty I knew I was alive, and not just in the sense that when I hit my thumb with a hammer I knew I was alive, but rather in the sense that I was partaking of something--something was passing through me that it was in my nature to be a part of.
Summary
This quote suggests that the author experiences a profound sense of aliveness when witnessing moments of beauty. They differentiate this feeling from the physical pain of hitting their thumb, emphasizing that it goes deeper and connects them to a larger existence. They perceive themselves as actively engaging with this beauty, feeling a natural connection to it. It highlights the transformative power of beauty and how it can elicit a sense of being truly alive.