The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life Quotes

The story of a family in Waco, Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents' conflicting teachings.

Mr. O'Brien: I wanted to be loved because I was great; A big man. I'm nothing. Look at the glory around us; trees, birds. I lived in shame. I dishonored it all, and didn't notice the glory. I'm a foolish man.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] The nuns taught us there were two ways through life - the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by.
[silence]
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Do good to them. Wonder. Hope.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Help each other. Love everyone. Every leaf. Every ray of light. Forgive.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Grace doesn't try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries.
Mr. O'Brien: Toscanini once recorded a piece sixty five times. You know what he said when he finished? "It could be better." Think about it.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] The nuns taught us that no one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end.
Prologue: [on screen, unspoken] "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:4,7
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] I will be true to you. Whatever comes.
Young Jack: [voice over] What I want to do, I can't do. I do what I hate.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Lord, Why? Where were you? Did you know what happened? Do you care?
Young Jack: [on camera] Help me not answer my dad... Help me not to get dogs in fights... Help me to be thankful for everything I've got...
[whispered voice over]
Young Jack: Where do You live?
[on camera]
Young Jack: Help me not to tell lies.
[whispered voice over]
Young Jack: Are You watching me? I want to know what You are. I want to see what You see.
Mr. O'Brien: You can't say I can't. You say: I'm having trouble, I'm not done yet.
Young Jack: [voice over] I didn't know how to name You then. But I see it was You. Always You were calling me.
Mr. O'Brien: Your mother's naive. It takes fierce will to get ahead in this world. If you're good, people take advantage of you.
Mrs. O'Brien: [pointing to the sky] That's where God lives!
Young Jack: [voice over] Where were You? You let a boy die. You let anything happen. Why should I be good ? When You aren't.
Mr. O'Brien: You are not to call me "Dad". You will only call me "Father".
Young Jack: But...
Mr. O'Brien: Don't interrupt!
Young Jack: But you do...
Mr. O'Brien: Don't interrupt!
Young Jack: It's your house. You can kick me out whenever you want to. You'd like to kill me wouldn't you.
Mr. O'Brien: [voice over] I wanted to be loved cause I was great, a Big Man. Now I'm nothing. Look. The glory around... trees, birds... I dishonored it all and didn't notice the glory. A foolish man.
[on camera]
Mr. O'Brien: They're closing the plant. I was given this choice: no job or transfer to a job nobody wants.
Mrs. O'Brien: Light of my life. I search for you.
Mrs. O'Brien: My hope. My child.
Mrs. O'Brien: Come here!
Young Jack: NO! I'm gonna do what I want to do, and you let him walk all over you.
Mr. O'Brien: [voice over] You're all I have. You're all I want to have. You're a sweet boy.
Jack: [voice over] I see me as a child... I see my brother. True. Kind. He died when he was 19.
R.L.: Tell us a story from before we can remember.
Young Jack: She only loves ME!
[first lines]
Jack: [in a whisper] Brother. Mother. It was they who led me to your door.
[choir singing dirge]
Father Haynes: He is in God's hands, now.
Mrs. O'Brien: He was in God's hands the whole time. Wasn't he?
Jack: [voice over] Brother. Keep us. Guide us. To the end of time.
Young Jack: [voice over] Dad.
[on camera]
Young Jack: Why was he born ?
Mr. O'Brien: If you want to succeed, you can't be too good!
[last lines]
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice-over] I give him to you. I give you my son.
Father Haynes: Do you trust in God? Job too was close to the Lord.
Mrs. O'Brien: Unless you love, your life will flash by.
Young Jack: [voice over] Mother. Make me good. Brave.
Young Jack: [voice over] How do I get back? To where they are.
Young Jack: I am sorry. You are my brother.
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Where were You?
[silence]
Mrs. O'Brien: [voice over] Did You know ?

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