This is the beginning of Volume II. Nicolai Rostov goes home on leave from the military in 1806 and brings his friend Denisov with him. Nicolai is conflicted about his feelings towards his orphaned penniless cousin Sonia who was raised with the Rostovs."Rostov was very happy in the love that was shown him, but the first moment of their meeting had been so blissful that his present happiness seemed too little to him, and he kept waiting for more, and more, and more."
This is a mind state so well understood by Buddhists -- how we want what we don't have, don't want what we have, and wish that our experience was different than it is. Nicolai is clinging to a previous experience and is suffering as a result. I really wonder how much Buddhism Tolstoy was exposed to? I see so many threads running throughout this entire book. -- Lola
Lola Baltzell
from page 377-378 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 7/30/10
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