what time hides

There have been times in my life when I have written books and left them uncompleted, and this is for various reasons. Perhaps the characters have developed beyond me, so that I must live longer in order to understand them more fully. Perhaps I need further growth within myself. Perhaps I come to the decision that the book does not suit the times in which I live, or perhaps my country or my people. Then I lay the  unfinished work aside, to be brought to the right conclusion at the right time.
I never forget books entirely. No, that is not quite true, for I do put them out of my mind, sometimes for days, sometimes for weeks, even for years. Then, inexplicably, the right time appears, it may be in a moment, or it may grow slowly out of widening experience. So it has been with this book, All under heaven, or as the chinese would say it, 'P'u T'ien Tse Hsia'
The phrase, by the way, is a classical one from ancient Chinese literature and is probably not known to the young Chinese who at this moment are not studying the classics. It is followed in full quotation by two other words, 'wei gung' , which complete the meaning to be "All under heaven are one" But truth remains eternal whatever our times, and so I repeat it.

All under heaven - Pearl S Buck