The Eternal may meet us in what is, by our present…
““The Eternal may meet us in what is, by our present measurements, a day, or (more likely) a minute or a second; but we have touched what is not in any way commensurable with lengths of time, whether long or short. Hence our hope finally to emerge, if not altogether from time (that might not suit our humanity) at any rate from the tyranny, the unilinear poverty, of time, to ride it not to be ridden by it, and so to cure that always aching wound ('the wound man was born for') which mere succession and mutability inflict on us, almost equally when we are happy and when we are unhappy. For we are so little reconciled to time that we are even astonished at it. 'How he's grown!' we exclaim, 'How time flies!' as though the universal form of our experience were again and again a novelty. It is as strange as if a fish were repeatedly surprised at the very wetness of water. And that would be strange indeed: unless of course the fish were destined to become, one day, a land animal.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human perception of time is limited; we seek to transcend its linear constraints, yearning for deeper meaning beyond fleeting moments.
In simple terms: We struggle with time’s limits and desire a timeless understanding.
Key Takeaway
Pursue meaning beyond temporal bounds.
Themes
time perception
philosophy
existential longing
human condition
Mood
contemplative
poetic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- meditation
- creative writing
- philosophical discussion groups
- spiritual retreats
Key Concepts
metaphysics
literary analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you experience timelessness in daily life?
- What practices help transcend temporal anxiety?
A Different Perspective
May be abstract and hard to apply practically.