---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is something spectral about me…"
description: "\"“There is something spectral about me - and this is both the good and the bad in me - something that makes it impossible for anyone to endure having to..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg"
---

#  There is something spectral about me - and this is both…

![“There is something spectral about me - and this is both the good and the bad in me - something that makes it impossible for anyone to endure having to see me every day and thus have a real relationship with me. Of course, in the light cloak in which I generally show myself, it is another matter…” quote by Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg)

> ““There is something spectral about me - and this is both the good and the bad in me - something that makes it impossible for anyone to endure having to see me every day and thus have a real relationship with me. Of course, in the light cloak in which I generally show myself, it is another matter. But at home it would be noted that I fundamentally dwell in a spirit world. I had been engaged to her for 1 year, and she did not really know me. - So she would have been shattered. In turn, she would probably have made a mess of me, for I was constantly overstraining myself with her because in a certain sense reality was too light. I was too heavy for her, and she was too light for me, but both can truly lead to overstraining myself.””

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker feels a deep, almost otherworldly nature that makes close, everyday relationships impossible, creating a tension between personal depth and social expectations.

**In simple terms:** A profound inner self makes normal relationships hard.

Key Takeaway

Accept and balance inner depth with external connections.

Themes

existentialism identity relationships self awareness

Mood

melancholic reflective introspective

Type

philosophical personal existential

When to use this quote

- intimate partnership
- friendship
- workplace dynamics
- creative collaborations

Key Concepts

subjective truth authenticity alienation

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your inner self affect your relationships?
- Can you find ways to share your depth without overwhelming others?

A Different Perspective

The speaker’s self‑description may be exaggerated, limiting empathy from others.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Real relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-relationship/) [Spirit world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-world/)

## Related quotes

> [If we dwell in spirit, or Soul, we are living in happiness, for Soul is a happy entity. It is seldom anything else. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-twitchell/if-we-dwell-in-spirit-or-soul-we-are-living-in-happiness-for-soul-is/)

[Paul Twitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-twitchell/)

> [“It is very hot tonight," Justin said, and loosed the folds of his light cloak, revealing the sprig of rye-grass thrust through the bronze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-sutcliff/it-is-very-hot-tonight-justin-said-and-loosed-the-folds-of-his-light/)

[Rosemary Sutcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-sutcliff/)

> [“In Baxter’s view the care for external goods should only lie on the shoulders of the “saint like a light cloak, which can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-weber/in-baxter-s-view-the-care-for-external-goods-should-only-lie-on-the/)

[Max Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-weber/)

> [The Son of God came to dwell in human flesh for us in order that He might come to dwell in us by His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/the-son-of-god-came-to-dwell-in-human-flesh-for-us-in-order-that-he/)

[Sinclair B. Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-b-ferguson/)

> [I will be patient, kind, faithful and true To a man who loves music a man who loves art Respect's the spirit world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/i-will-be-patient-kind-faithful-and-true-to-a-man-who-loves-music-a/)

[India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/)

> [Art has always been and is in its very essence the boldest departure from nature. It is the bridge into the spirit world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-marc/art-has-always-been-and-is-in-its-very-essence-the-boldest-departure/)

[Franz Marc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-marc/)

> [“A rain of pebbles from overhead makes me glance up in time to see Ruthann step onto the lip of the cliff, another fifteen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/a-rain-of-pebbles-from-overhead-makes-me-glance-up-in-time-to-see/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [I've decided to retreat to the spirit world where I feel appreciated and understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/i-ve-decided-to-retreat-to-the-spirit-world-where-i-feel-appreciated/)

[Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/)

> [“The sound of his purging next to me, long and deep and often was like a backbeat throughout the night. He's been wrestling with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rak-razam/the-sound-of-his-purging-next-to-me-long-and-deep-and-often-was-like/)

[Rak Razam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rak-razam/)

> [“In many parts of the world, ghosts are not considered to be a creation of local folklore, but a fact of life. In China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-roland/in-many-parts-of-the-world-ghosts-are-not-considered-to-be-a-creation/)

[Paul Roland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-roland/)

> [To a man who loves music. A man who loves art. Respect's the spirit world and thinks with his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/to-a-man-who-loves-music-a-man-who-loves-art-respect-s-the-spirit/)

[India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/)

> [I want to thank you, especially those people who are agnostic or atheist. I don't mean any offense by the things I said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-want-to-thank-you-especially-those-people-who-are-agnostic-or/)

[Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/)

> [“When we honor our souls' truth, in whatever form that comes to us, and have the courage to follow where it leads, in spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-e-smith/when-we-honor-our-souls-truth-in-whatever-form-that-comes-to-us-and/)

[Laurie E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-e-smith/)

> [I have a very open mind. I believe that there's a spirit world. I believe that there's a lot of stuff out there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-head/i-have-a-very-open-mind-i-believe-that-there-s-a-spirit-world-i/)

[Anthony Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-head/)

> [In the course of our eternal existence, we spend infinitely more time in the spirit world on the other side than we spend in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/in-the-course-of-our-eternal-existence-we-spend-infinitely-more-time/)

[Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/)

## More by Søren Kierkegaard

> [“At vove er at miste fodfæstet et kort øjeblik - ikke at vove er at miste sig selv.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/at-vove-er-at-miste-fodf-stet-et-kort-jeblik-ikke-at-vove-er-at-miste/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“No woman in maternity confinement can have stranger and more impatient wishes than I have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/no-woman-in-maternity-confinement-can-have-stranger-and-more/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“If a man had a little button sewn on the inner pocket of his coat 'on principle' his otherwise unimportant and quite serviceable action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/if-a-man-had-a-little-button-sewn-on-the-inner-pocket-of-his-coat-on/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“I stick my finger in existence — it smells of nothing. Where am I? Who am I? How came I here? What is this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/i-stick-my-finger-in-existence-it-smells-of-nothing-where-am-i-who-am/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“A human being is spirit. But what is spirit? Spirit is the self. But what is the self? The self is a relation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/a-human-being-is-spirit-but-what-is-spirit-spirit-is-the-self-but/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“I am poor—you are my riches; dark—you are my light; I own nothing, need nothing. And how could I own anything? After all, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/i-am-poor-you-are-my-riches-dark-you-are-my-light-i-own-nothing-need/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“Intohimo ei merkitse sanoja.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/intohimo-ei-merkitse-sanoja/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“But there is a concerned guide, a knowing one, who attracts the attention of the wanderer, who calls out to him that he should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/but-there-is-a-concerned-guide-a-knowing-one-who-attracts-the/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“There is something frightful in the fact that the most dangerous thing of all, playing at Christianity, is never included in the list of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/there-is-something-frightful-in-the-fact-that-the-most-dangerous/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“Yet in another and still more definite sense despair is the sickness unto death. It is indeed very far from being true that, literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/yet-in-another-and-still-more-definite-sense-despair-is-the-sickness/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“Sitting calmly on a ship in fair weather is not a metaphor for having faith; but when the ship has sprung a leak, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/sitting-calmly-on-a-ship-in-fair-weather-is-not-a-metaphor-for-having/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“Not merely in the realm of commerce but in the world of ideas as well our age is organizing a regular clearance sale. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/not-merely-in-the-realm-of-commerce-but-in-the-world-of-ideas-as-well/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“In love with myself, that is what people say I am. It doesn’t surprise me, for how could they notice that I can love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/in-love-with-myself-that-is-what-people-say-i-am-it-doesn-t-surprise/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [“Battle day and night against the guile of oblivion...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/battle-day-and-night-against-the-guile-of-oblivion/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

[Explore all 184 Søren Kierkegaard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

## More Every day quotes

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/)

Alison James

> [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/)

[Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/)

[Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/)

> [Love is the Key started in 1994 with a simple idea: that Love is the Key that would open all the doors in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-is-the-key/love-is-the-key-started-in-1994-with-a-simple-idea-that-love-is-the/)

[Love Is The Key®](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-is-the-key/)

> [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/)

[Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/)

> [“(one would say yes, if not every day, at least fairly regularly), whether only for yourself or also for others (often only for yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/one-would-say-yes-if-not-every-day-at-least-fairly-regularly-whether/)

[Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/)

> [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/)

[Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/)

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [I have to justify my job every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-silva/i-have-to-justify-my-job-every-day/)

[Marco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-silva/)

> [Merlin' was awesome, but the costumes would drive you insane. Every day, you'd get into chain mail and wear 30 pounds of that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/merlin-was-awesome-but-the-costumes-would-drive-you-insane-every-day/)

[Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/)

> [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/)

[George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/)

> [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

Browse all 16,614 Every day quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There is something spectral about me - and this is both the good and the bad in me - something that makes it impossible for anyone to endure having to see me every day and thus have a real relationship with me. Of course, in the light cloak in which I generally show myself, it is another matter. But at home it would be noted that I fundamentally dwell in a spirit world. I had been engaged to her for 1 year, and she did not really know me. - So she would have been shattered. In turn, she would probably have made a mess of me, for I was constantly overstraining myself with her because in a certain sense reality was too light. I was too heavy for her, and she was too light for me, but both can truly lead to overstraining myself.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Søren Kierkegaard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and-this-is-both-the-good-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Every day"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and-this-is-both-the-good-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/s-ren-kierkegaard-1686_every-day_there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and_2658422.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There is something spectral about me - and this is both the good and the bad in me - something that makes it…” — Søren Kierkegaard",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Søren Kierkegaard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There is something spectral about me...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and-this-is-both-the-good-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/there-is-something-spectral-about-me-and-this-is-both-the-good-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
