“In order to understand, I destroyed myself.”
— Fernando Pessoa
Simplified Meaning:
Sometimes, to truly understand something deeply, you have to go through a difficult or painful experience. Imagine learning to ride a bike. At first, you might fall and get hurt. These falls are hard and painful, but each time you learn something new about balancing and pedaling. After these struggles, you become better at riding the bike. In life, to understand complex things like emotions, relationships, or personal growth, we often need to face challenges that change us. These challenges might be heartbreak, failure, or hard decisions. As we go through these difficult times, we might feel broken or hurt, but these experiences teach us important lessons. They help us grow wiser and see things more clearly. For example, if someone goes through a tough breakup, they might feel shattered. But over time, they learn more about themselves, their needs, and what they want in a partner. They become stronger and more self-aware. This growth comes from facing and overcoming the pain. By going through tough experiences, we break down our old selves and build a more understanding and resilient version of ourselves. So, it's like destroying parts of us to make room for new understanding and personal growth.