The journey is as long
As the mystery is.
For in every step we take,
A new world, words.
The Unfolding Path
Isn’t it intriguing how life constantly unfolds before us, each moment revealing something new? This piece beautifully captures the endless nature of our journey through existence.
In “Concluding Unscientific Postscript,” Kierkegaard writes, “Truth is subjectivity.” This idea is reflected in the poem’s lines “The journey is as long / As the mystery is,” suggesting that truth and meaning are found in the ongoing process of living and experiencing, rather than in fixed, objective facts.
This idea that the journey is as long as the mystery reminds me of what the physicist Richard Feynman once said: “I think it’s much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong.” Our journey through life is perpetual because there’s always more to discover.
When the poem speaks of a new world with every step, it echoes what the philosopher Heraclitus meant when he said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Each moment brings change, both in our surroundings and in ourselves.
The emphasis on the continual unfolding of new worlds and words with each step echoes Kierkegaard’s concept of “becoming” – the idea that existence is not static but a constant process of development. In “Either/Or,” Kierkegaard states, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” This aligns with the poem’s portrayal of life as a continuous journey of discovery.
The mention of “words” emerging with each new world brings to mind what Ludwig Wittgenstein pondered about language and reality. As he put it, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Our understanding and expression evolve as we journey through life.
The verses mirror Kierkegaard’s belief in the importance of personal interpretation and engagement with life’s mysteries. As he writes in “Fear and Trembling,” “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
So what does all this mean? Perhaps it’s about embracing the ongoing nature of our journey, recognizing that there’s always more to learn, more to experience.
Remember, every step you take is an opportunity for discovery. As the poet T.S. Eliot wrote, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
Maybe you face the unknown, consider: How can you approach it with curiosity and openness? Because isn’t that what makes life so fascinating? This constant unfolding of new worlds, new understandings. Your journey is uniquely yours, filled with endless possibilities. How will you step into the mystery today?