Quote: Existence

Source: PicMonkey/Favim 

I stick my finger in existence — it smells of nothing. Where am I? Who am I? How came I here? What is this thing called the world? What does this world mean? Who is it that has lured me into the world? Why was I not consulted, why not made acquainted with its manners and customs instead of throwing me into the ranks, as if I had been bought by a kidnapper, a dealer in souls? How did I obtain an interest in this big enterprise they call reality? Why should I have an interest in it? Is it not a voluntary concern? And if I am to be compelled to take part in it, where is the director? I should like to make a remark to him. Is there no director? Whither shall I turn with my complaint?

~ Søren Kierkegaard

Quote: Existence

Source: PicMonkey/Favim 

I stick my finger in existence — it smells of nothing. Where am I? Who am I? How came I here? What is this thing called the world? What does this world mean? Who is it that has lured me into the world? Why was I not consulted, why not made acquainted with its manners and customs instead of throwing me into the ranks, as if I had been bought by a kidnapper, a dealer in souls? How did I obtain an interest in this big enterprise they call reality? Why should I have an interest in it? Is it not a voluntary concern? And if I am to be compelled to take part in it, where is the director? I should like to make a remark to him. Is there no director? Whither shall I turn with my complaint?

~ Søren Kierkegaard

Hidden Things

Source: perfect--atelophobia.tumblr.com 

Let them not seek to discover who I was

from all that I have done and said.

An obstacle was there that transformed

the deeds and the manner of my life.

An obstacle was there that stopped me

many times when I was about to speak.

Only from my most imperceptible deeds

and my most covert writings--

from these alone will they understand me.

But perhaps it isn't worth exerting

such care and such effort for them to know me.

Later, in the more perfect society,

surely some other person created like me

will appear and act freely.

~ Constantine P. Cavafy

____________________________________________

Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living. ~ Søren Kierkegaard

Hidden Things

Source: perfect--atelophobia.tumblr.com 

Let them not seek to discover who I was

from all that I have done and said.

An obstacle was there that transformed

the deeds and the manner of my life.

An obstacle was there that stopped me

many times when I was about to speak.

Only from my most imperceptible deeds

and my most covert writings--

from these alone will they understand me.

But perhaps it isn't worth exerting

such care and such effort for them to know me.

Later, in the more perfect society,

surely some other person created like me

will appear and act freely.

~ Constantine P. Cavafy

____________________________________________

Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living. ~ Søren Kierkegaard

Past the Cemetery

Photo credit: Geert from morguefile.com 

It's nice here on the shady side of the street.

Our small, outdoor table

Faces a building

Golden with late afternoon sunlight

Under a cloudless summer sky.

Together with daily horrors,

Life doles out these small pleasures:

A platter of raw oysters on ice,

A ripe lemon sliced in half,

And a glass of chilled white wine.

If the couple holding hands at the next table

Are now in a hurry to leave,

Let them go ahead.

We'll linger over another bottle

And then go looking for a bed ourselves.

~ Charles Simic

____________________________________________

Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.

~ Søren Kierkegaard

Past the Cemetery

Photo credit: Geert from morguefile.com 

It's nice here on the shady side of the street.

Our small, outdoor table

Faces a building

Golden with late afternoon sunlight

Under a cloudless summer sky.

Together with daily horrors,

Life doles out these small pleasures:

A platter of raw oysters on ice,

A ripe lemon sliced in half,

And a glass of chilled white wine.

If the couple holding hands at the next table

Are now in a hurry to leave,

Let them go ahead.

We'll linger over another bottle

And then go looking for a bed ourselves.

~ Charles Simic

____________________________________________

Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.

~ Søren Kierkegaard

Source: Unknown/Favim 

Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when every one has to throw off his mask? Do you believe that life will always let itself be mocked? Do you think you can slip away a little before midnight in order to avoid this? Or are you not terrified by it? I have seen men in real life who so long deceived others that at last their true nature could not reveal itself;... In every man there is something which to a certain degree prevents him from becoming perfectly transparent to himself; and this may be the case in so high a degree, he may be so inexplicably woven into relationships of life which extend far beyond himself that he almost cannot reveal himself. But he who cannot reveal himself cannot love, and he who cannot love is the most unhappy man of all.

~ Søren Kierkegaard

Source: Unknown/Favim 

Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when every one has to throw off his mask? Do you believe that life will always let itself be mocked? Do you think you can slip away a little before midnight in order to avoid this? Or are you not terrified by it? I have seen men in real life who so long deceived others that at last their true nature could not reveal itself;... In every man there is something which to a certain degree prevents him from becoming perfectly transparent to himself; and this may be the case in so high a degree, he may be so inexplicably woven into relationships of life which extend far beyond himself that he almost cannot reveal himself. But he who cannot reveal himself cannot love, and he who cannot love is the most unhappy man of all.

~ Søren Kierkegaard