Skip to content

In the past he had been unable to see the great, teh…

“In the past he had been unable to see the great, teh unfathomable, the infinite, in anything. He had only felt that it must exist somewhere and had been seeking it. In everything near and comprehensible he had seen only what was limited, petty, commonplace, and meaningless. He had equipped himself…” quote by Leo Tolstoy
Download Open image
““In the past he had been unable to see the great, teh unfathomable, the infinite, in anything. He had only felt that it must exist somewhere and had been seeking it. In everything near and comprehensible he had seen only what was limited, petty, commonplace, and meaningless. He had equipped himself with a mental telescope and gazed into the distance where the distance had seemed to him great and infinite only because they were not clearly visible. Such had Europan life, politics, Masonry, philosophy, and philanthropy seemed to him. Bet even then, at moments of weakness as he had accounted them, his mind had penetrated that distance too, and he had seen there the same triviality, worldliness, and absurdity. Now, however, he had learned to see the great, the eternal, the infinite in everything, and therefore, in order to look at it, to enjoy his contemplation of it, he naturally discarded teh telescope through which he had till then been gazing over the heads of men, and joyfully surveyed the ever-changeing, eternally great, unfathomable, and infinite life around him. And the closer he looked, the happier and more seren he was. The awful question: What for? a simple answer was now always ready in his soul: Because there is a God, that God without whose will not one hair of a man's head falls.””

Leo Tolstoy

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 shifts from seeing only limited, mundane aspects to perceiving the infinite, divine nature in all things, recognizing God as the ultimate purpose.

In simple terms: Seeing the divine in everything brings joy and purpose.

Key Takeaway

Seek the eternal in everyday life.

Themes

spirituality philosophy perception purpose

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • creative writing
  • meditation practice

Key Concepts

theology existentialism mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

  • What daily practices help you notice the infinite?
  • How does recognizing a higher purpose affect your actions?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on the divine may ignore practical concerns.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Leo Tolstoy

Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes

More Existentialism quotes

Browse all 984 Existentialism quotes