From journals (1843)

There is great truth to the philosophy
that life must be understood backwards.
But this ignores the second proposition
that it must be lived forwards.

If we take these truisms together,
the more they are thought out to precision,
the closer we come to the conclusion
that life can never be properly understood,
as we cannot find the conclusive peace
to adopt the position: backwards.
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Translated by Prontobard - 2022