John Joseph Maxwell Coetzee. Waiting for the barbarians (№ 15739)

Children not for a moment doubt the powerful old trees, under whose shade they used to play, will stand forever;that the time will come and growing up, the boys will be strong like their fathers, and girls-such as loving their mother;that they will live and prosper, grow a new generation of children and sostrata same place where you were born. Why have we lost the ability to live in time as fish live in water and birds in the air;why have we forgotten how to live as children?