Yes, I'll be glad." And she said suddenly, "There are some times, Joseph, when the love for people is strong and warm like a sorrow."He looked quickly at her in astonishment at her statement of his own thought. "How did you think that, dear?""I don't know. Why?""Because I was thinking it at that moment - and there are times when the people and the hills and the earth, all, everything except the stars, are one, and the love of them all is strong like a sadness.""Not the stars, then?""No, never the stars. The stars are always strangers - sometimes evil, but always strangers. Smell the sage, Elizabeth. It's good to be getting home.
by John Steinbeck
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In this exchange, Elizabeth expresses a profound connection between love and sorrow, suggesting that her feelings for people can sometimes feel overwhelmingly deep. Joseph is surprised to discover that she shares his thoughts, emphasizing a universal bond that transcends the physical world, except for the stars, which remain distant and unfamiliar. This shared moment speaks to their connection with nature and the emotions tied to their surroundings.

Joseph gives significance to the love they share for the earth and the people around them, contrasting it with the loneliness of the stars. Their conversation reveals a deep appreciation for their home and the natural world, indicating that home invokes a sense of belonging. The sage's scent represents comfort as they reflect on their feelings and relationship amidst the familiarity of their landscape.

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