A Quote by Helene Hanff

I wanted to see London the way old people want to see home before they die. — © Helene Hanff
I wanted to see London the way old people want to see home before they die.
I didn't want to die. I wanted to live. I wanted to be with my family and wanted to see my 11-year-old son grow up.
People see me, and they see the suit, and they go: "you're not fooling anyone", they know I'm rock and roll through and through. But you know that old thing, live fast, die young? Not my way. Live fast, sure, live too bloody fast sometimes, but die young? Die old. That's the way- not orthodox, I don't live by "the rules" you know.
I think it's a dance that people want to see. It's a chemistry that people want to see. In the same way that people don't want to see a perfect hero with no flaws who can handle anything, people don't want to see a perfect relationship. There's nothing interesting about that. People want to see you fail.
You hear about things happening to people - they slip in the bathtub, fall down the stairs, step off the curb in London because they think that the cars come the other way - and they die. You feel you want to die making an effort at something; you don't want to die in some unnecessary way.
As I die, and my life flashes before my eyes, I want to see who made faces at me when I turned my head. That's all I want to see.
I've noticed that once you leave London you do kind of become a bit more famous. People in London are a bit too cool for school. It's not so unusual to see someone from London in the street. But outside of London people are a bit more excited to see you and come out and support you.
I don't see people. I don't see men and women at all. When I see them, I see... their mothers and fathers. I see how old they are inside. Like when I look at the president, or anybody in a record company, or a store owner, I may see a little boy behind the counter with the face of an old man. And that's who I talk to.
I think the perception of me can be, you know, confused. But that's only because people only see that side of me when I'm at work, in front of the camera. So they don't see Miranda at home; they don't see behind the scenes. They see the glamour of it all but they don't see Miranda standing barefoot in a dirty old house.
Fatherhood changes you completely. If things didn't go my way before, I became withdrawn and didn't want to see or listen to anyone. Now, when I arrive home, I see my son and everything is OK. He's the most important thing to me now.
I wanted other people, not just Americans, to see - I wanted to take my images to a global stage. I wanted people to see what I was seeing, 'cause I thought it was really important to see.
I want to clear this once and for all. I was born in Hong Kong. I grew up in Japan and China. London is not home for me. I was there only for three years before I moved to India, but that's probably why I am connected with it. London is definitely not the place I consider my home. It's India that I consider home.
Baseball will be back to Montreal, I want to see it. I want it to happen before I die. I will see it
Americans don't want immigration. They don't want any more. Why can't we have a home? You see on 'National Geographic,' 'Oh, the indigenous people, they have a home.' Everyone else can have a home. We are the only people on Earth not allowed to have a home.
I wanted people to watch. I wanted people to see us together. I wanted people to see us kissing today. I want everyone to know that you're mine.
I've been to L.A. before, and I love the sunshine and the fact that people seem so genuinely nice and pleased to see you - which is so different from London. Maybe I'll end up so tired of smiles and helpfulness that I'll long for the rudeness and cynicism of home.
I think the perception of me can be, you know, confused. But thats only because people only see that side of me when Im at work, in front of the camera. So they dont see Miranda at home; they dont see behind the scenes. They see the glamour of it all but they dont see Miranda standing barefoot in a dirty old house.
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