--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man knows he cannot embrace the universe…" description: "\"“Man knows he cannot embrace the universe with all it's sums and stars. But he finds it unbearable to be condemned to lose the second infinity as well,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d48/milan-kundera-120_within-reach_man-knows-he-cannot-embrace-the-universe_660208.jpg" --- # Man knows he cannot embrace the universe with all it's… ![“Man knows he cannot embrace the universe with all it's sums and stars. But he finds it unbearable to be condemned to lose the second infinity as well, the one so close, so nearly within reach. Tamina lost the infinity of her love, I lost my father, we all lose whatever we do, because if it is…” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d48/milan-kundera-120_within-reach_man-knows-he-cannot-embrace-the-universe_660208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d48/milan-kundera-120_within-reach_man-knows-he-cannot-embrace-the-universe_660208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d48/milan-kundera-120_within-reach_man-knows-he-cannot-embrace-the-universe_660208.jpg) > ““Man knows he cannot embrace the universe with all it's sums and stars. But he finds it unbearable to be condemned to lose the second infinity as well, the one so close, so nearly within reach. Tamina lost the infinity of her love, I lost my father, we all lose whatever we do, because if it is perfection we are after, we must go to the heart of the matter, and we can never quite reach it.”” [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human longing for infinite love and meaning is unfulfillable, yet we pursue perfection despite inevitable loss. **In simple terms:** We chase perfect love and meaning, knowing they’re unattainable. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and cherish present love. Themes love existence loss Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - grief counseling - personal reflection - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy human condition impermanence Questions to Reflect On - What does “second infinity” symbolize? - How can we find peace without perfection? A Different Perspective Perfection can cause endless dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Embrace Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace-universe-4176817/) [Infinity Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinity-love-225861/) [Lost Infinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-infinity-5262248/) [Second Infinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-infinity-5141909/) [Tamina Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tamina-lost-5262247/) [Within reach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/within-reach/) ## Related quotes > [By thought I embrace the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/by-thought-i-embrace-the-universe/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [His lifetime was less than a fraction of a second in infinity. Or maybe he did not even exist; maybe human beings, the planets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/his-lifetime-was-less-than-a-fraction-of-a-second-in-infinity-or/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [\* I will love you for infinity and my love will last for eternity \*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-love-you-for-infinity-and-my-love-will-last-for-eternity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [''You're my sanity,you're my infinity,you're my love,you're my reason for breathing,you're my everything,Forever and Always.''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-hamilton/you-re-my-sanity-you-re-my-infinity-you-re-my-love-you-re-my-reason/) [Emily Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-hamilton/) > [“You are every thing, every being, every emotion, every event, every situation. You are unity. You are infinity. You are love/light, light/love. 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I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. 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If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He remained annoyed with himself until he realized that not knowing what he wanted was actually quite natural. We can never know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/he-remained-annoyed-with-himself-until-he-realized-that-not-knowing/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-we-ignore-the-body-we-are-more-easily-victimized-by-it/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Do stories, apart from happening, being, have something to say? For all my skepticism, some trace of irrational superstition did survive in me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/do-stories-apart-from-happening-being-have-something-to-say-for-all/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Os extremos delimitam a fronteira para além da qual a vida termina, e a paixão pelo extremismo, tanto em arte como em política, é…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/os-extremos-delimitam-a-fronteira-para-al-m-da-qual-a-vida-termina-e/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. 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