I don’t know if I have a fever, as I feel I do, or if I’ve…
““I don’t know if I have a fever, as I feel I do, or if I’ve stopped having the fever of sleeping through life. Yes, I repeat, I’m like a traveller who suddenly finds himself in a strange town, without knowing how he got there, which makes me think of those who lose their memory and for a long time are not themselves but someone else. I was someone else for a long time – since birth and consciousness – and suddenly I’ve woken up in the middle of a bridge, leaning over the river and knowing that I exist more solidly than the person I was up till now. But the city is unknown to me, the streets are new, and the trouble has no cure. And so, leaning over the bridge, I wait for the truth to go away and let me return to being fictitious and non-existent, intelligent and natural.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The narrator feels disoriented, as if awakening to a new reality, confronting identity and existential uncertainty.
In simple terms: Awakening to a strange, unfamiliar self.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the unknown, explore your true self.
Themes
identity
existence
awakening
confusion
Mood
introspective
melancholic
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- mid‑life crisis
- creative block
- spiritual awakening
- therapy sessions
Key Concepts
self‑discovery
existentialism
memory loss
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “the bridge” symbolize for you?
- How can you find stability in uncertainty?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure practical steps for grounding.