The quote from Amy Tan’s "The Valley of Amazement" reflects a profound truth about the nature of moments and memory. The idea suggests that when we attempt to hold onto a fleeting experience by analyzing or capturing it, we paradoxically change its essence. This highlights the transience of life and the challenge of truly experiencing the present.

In essence, it implies that our thoughts and reflections can alter the original feeling of a moment, making it elusive. The appreciation of experiences is fleeting; they often slip away the moment we try to define or encapsulate them. This speaks to a universal struggle to savor life as it happens, rather than trying to distill it into something permanent.