Why am I attracted to all these lying quotes all of a sudden? Here’s another one. This one by Phillip Lopate: ‘(Children know it better than adults) that in telling a lie, fidelity is everything.’ Phillip Lopate More Quotes by Phillip Lopate More Quotes From Phillip Lopate The dinner party is a suburban form of entertainment. Its spread in our big cities represents an insidious Fifth Column suburbanization of the metropolis. Phillip Lopate dinner party cities I imagined a psychic pain growing inside him (myself) that demanded some physical outlet. Suicide must have been his attempt to give Pain a body, a representation, to put it outside himself. A need to convert inner torment into some outward tangible wound that all could see. It was almost as though suicide were a last-ditch effort at exorcism, in which the person sacrificed his life in order that the devil inside might die. Phillip Lopate suicidal pain suicide You must read a lot of personal essays - you needn't reinvent the wheel. Phillip Lopate personal-essays essays wheels It bothers me when I can't, for example, remember a name. I don't know if it's pre-senility or whether there are too many names packed in our brains. Phillip Lopate example names brain My wife and daughter have accused me of being too silent at breakfast but I don't want to talk when I don't have much to say. Phillip Lopate wife daughter breakfast Indeed, at times it's best to shut up. Phillip Lopate shut-up For most of my life, I have wanted broad impact but now, at 72, I'm not so sure that's always my first priority. Phillip Lopate priorities impact firsts If someone in my family is getting emotionally bent out of shape, I've had to learn to adapt. Phillip Lopate bent my-family shapes Domesticity has been a challenge for me but painful as it's been, engaging with family has been a school for reducing solipsism and increasing my understanding of people's different reactions to stress. Phillip Lopate stress people school My other work, teaching, also is satisfying because I can be with people but in controlled circumstances, which aren't as likely to yield the pain of dealing with family. Phillip Lopate yield pain teaching I'm fortunate in being able to find great satisfaction in my work. Phillip Lopate fortunate able satisfaction I really do like to write and when I'm not, I think, "Okay, I'll be a good citizen now" but fact is, that's secondary. Phillip Lopate citizens writing thinking