O how incomprehensible everything was, and actually sad, although it was also beautiful. One knew nothing. One lived and ran about the earth and rode through forests, and certain things looked so challenging and promising and nostalgic: a star in the evening, a blue harebell, a reed-green pond, the eye of a person or a cow. And sometimes it seemed that something never seen yet long desired was about to happen, that a veil would drop from it all, but then it passed, nothing happened, the riddle remained unsolved, the secret spell unbroken, and in the end one grew old and looked cunning . . or wise . and still one knew nothing perhaps, was still waiting and listening. Hermann Hesse
About This Quote

In this quote by Rainer Maria Rilke, the author speaks of the beauty and sadness of loss. He speaks of how we feel as we approach and pass away from death or what we call dying. He states that we all carry the burden of death on our shoulders and we all know it is there, yet we can't do anything about it. Our lives are like a riddle without an answer or a secret spell that will never be broken. He also talks of the bittersweet feelings that come with life, where we know what is coming but still look for something more.

Source: Narcissus And Goldmund

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