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I saw that that was life itself and that the meaning given to this life was truth, and I accepted it.
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“I saw that that was life itself and that the meaning given to this life was truth, and I accepted it.”

Leo Tolstoy

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Source
My Confession
Date
1882
English wording
Leo Wiener — Translator · from Russian
Meaning

Meaning of “I saw that that was life itself and…”

The search for meaning ends here in acceptance of a lived framework Tolstoy regards as true, emphasizing that meaning is not merely an abstract proof but something embodied in life.

Source context

Where does it come from?

My Confession, Leo Wiener translation; the sentence belongs to Tolstoy’s account of accepting a meaning of life he believed was demonstrated in the lives of the people he had studied.

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Themes

Ideas connected with this quotation

Acceptance Quotes About Reality, Limits & ChangeDeepHonestyLetting Go Quotes About Release & Moving ForwardLifeLife AdviceLife LessonsMeaning of Life Quotes About What Makes Life MatterMoving OnPhilosophyPurpose Quotes About Direction, Duty & Meaningful WorkThought-Provoking Quotes That Invite ReflectionTruthWisdom Quotes About Judgment & Living WellLife Goes OnWisdom About Life
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Meaning & context

The verse places change inside a larger rhythm of seasons and purposes, making it useful for thinking about acceptance when one phase of life gives way to another.

Source details

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Meaning & context

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Source details

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Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.
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“Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.”

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Meaning & context

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Source details

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