“A shaft of light had passed over me, illuminating my empty life with possibilities I dared no

“A shaft of light had passed over me, illuminating my empty life with possibilities I dared not question. But now, just as mysteriously, it had vanished. Only now did I understand what this meant. For as long as I could remember, I had - perhaps without knowing, or perhaps not daring to breathe the thought - been searching for someone. That was why I had been avoiding all others. If only for a moment, the painting had convinced me that i might find her, and find her soon. It had sparked a hope in me that would never sink into despair. Shunning the society of others, I withdrew into myself. I cursed the world around me, with greater vehemence than ever before.” 

Sabahattin Ali, Madonna in a Fur Coat