TS Eliot, The Four Quartets
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
[TS Eliot, The Four Quartets]
I found this quotation several weeks ago and was excited by its insightful and intelligent view on exploration. As one who is planning a life of exploration and preparing to undertake a fairly large expedition (see Under One Sky entry) I appreciate the take on journeys. I think in a lot of ways, my journey from Alaska to Argentina is about developing a better way to look at the world in which I live. I want to go and see the world not because I believe the rest of the world will be so unique from my experience, but because I believe there will be incredible similarities. These similarities will perhaps increase my understanding of the human experience. Thus, when I arrive at the place I started, I will see the place in a new light.
DISCLAIMER: I’ve read the Four Quartets several times now and, like much of Eliot’s poetry, have come nowhere near a clear grasp of its true literary depths. However, I think this reading and insight is the beginning of a new infatuation with his work. I look forward to rereading this piece for years to come… especially on my journey ahead.
