No matter the choice, you may regret it

If you marry, you will regret it; if you do not marry, you will also regret it; if you marry or if you do not marry, you will regret both; whether you marry of you do not marry, you will regret both. Laugh at the world’s follies, you will regret it; weep over them, you will also regret it; if you laugh at the world’s follies or if you weep over them, you will regret both; whether you laught at the world’s follies or you weep over them, you will regret both.

— Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or - A Fragment of Life

There is profound truth in this passage by Danish philosopher Kierkegaard. We chase after our desires with great effort, only to find disappointment upon achieving them. Yet we continue this pattern, convincing ourselves that the next pursuit will finally bring lasting satisfaction.

Maybe so; maybe not; we’ll see.

You will only experience a greater degree of satisfaction by seeing through your fallability and internalizing that this is it. There is no rehearsal of the show, and it won’t last that long either. You are in the show; you are the show; and at the same time you are not it.

Perhaps it is in life's stark contrasts where your deepest longings stir and dance, like shadows at twilight's edge.