“But he is only stunned by the unvanquishable difficulty of his existence.”
“A man of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that he can realize his potentialities.”
“I remember staring at my son endlessly when he was an infant, stunned by his very existence, wondering where on earth he had come from.”
“Everest is a harsh and hostile immensity. Whoever challenges it declares war. He must mount his assault with the skill and ruthlessness of a military operation. And when the battle ends, the mountain remains unvanquished. There are no true victors, only survivors.”
“Difficulties illuminate existence, but they must be fresh and of high quality.”
“I feel nothing except a certain difficulty in continuing to exist.”