These are the words of the Norwegian author Sigrid Undset, from her book "Happy Times in Norway", written during the World War 2, while she lived in the US. I'll write more about the book when I've finished it. (Started listening to it on audio book last weekend, while traveling by train to Oslo for a conference).
I simply had to write down these lines, and here you can read them. First, my own English translation, then the original Norwegian text.
"Behind all fun who really is fun, and behind all intense and sorrowless joy, there is always a deep and deadly seriousness.
It is only those things in life which we have bought at great expense who become so dear to us that they become a source of the real, bright joys, of genuine frivolity and hearty laughter.
People complain about youth supposedly being too frivolous these days, you have probably all heard this. Me, I don't know. I would love it if you could one day own the heartfelt frivolity in your souls, the kind that men and women obtain when they have had to fight with life and learned about themselves that they are capable of taking on tough battles and carrying the heaviest burdens."
"Bakom all moro som virkelig er morsom, og bakom all inderlig og sorgløs glede, ligger det alltid et dypt og dødelig alvor.
Det er bare de tingene i livet som vi har kjøpt dyrt, som blir så kjære for oss at de blir en kilde til de ekte lyse gledene, til virkelig lettsindighet og hjertelig latter.
Folk klager over at ungdommen skal være så lettsindig nå til dags, ja det har dere vel sikkert hørt alle sammen.
Jeg vet ikke, jeg. Jeg for min del vil være glad hvis dere kunne komme til å eie den virkelige lettsindigheten i sinnet, som menn og kvinner vinner når de har fått prøver krefter med livet og lært om seg selv at de orker å ta de tunge takene og bære de tyngste byrdene."
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