Eternity Quote by Blaise Pascal
““When I consider the brief span of my life absorbed into the eternity which precedes and will succeed it— memoria hospitis unius diei praetereuntis (remembrance of a guest who tarried but a day)—the small space I occupy and which I see swallowed up in the infinite immensity of spaces of which I know nothing and which know nothing of me, I take fright and am amazed to see myself here rather than there: there is no reason for me to be here rather than there, now rather than then. Who put me here? By whose command and act were this place and time allotted to me?””
About This Quote
Source Philosophical Treatise: Pensées, Blaise Pascal, 1670
Human existence feels insignificant against infinite time, prompting existential anxiety and wonder about purpose.
In simple terms: Life seems tiny compared to eternity.
Key Takeaway
Contemplate your place in the cosmos.
Themes
existentialism
mortality
meaning
Mood
thoughtful
melancholic
Type
philosophical
existential
When to use this quote
- meditation
- writing
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
philosophy
theology
cosmology
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives your life meaning?
- How do you reconcile freedom with fate?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overlook agency in shaping meaning.
