Compassion Quote by Leo Tolstoy
““How good it would be to know where to look for help in this life and what to expect after it, there, beyond the grave! How happy and calm I'd be, if I could say now: Lord, have mercy on me! ... But to whom shall I say it? Either it is an indefinable, unfathomable power, which I not only cannot address, but which I cannot express in words - the great all or nothing...or it is that God of whom Princess Marya has sewn in here, in this amulet? Nothing, nothing is certain, except the insignificance of everything I can comprehend and the grandeur of something incomprehensible but most important!””
About This Quote
Source Novel: War and Peace, Part 1, 1869
The speaker wrestles with existential uncertainty, seeking divine guidance while confronting the limits of human understanding.
In simple terms: Searching for meaning amid doubt and mortality.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility and seek inner peace.
Themes
existentialism
faith
uncertainty
Mood
reflective
melancholic
hopeful
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- spiritual seeking
- grief
- contemplation
- prayer
Key Concepts
theology
philosophy
mortality
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “the great all or nothing” mean to you?
- How can one find calm without definitive answers?
A Different Perspective
The quote assumes a monotheistic framework that may not resonate with all readers.
