The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious — the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.
– Albert Einstein
It’s no coincidence that we’re so driven by mystery: the unknown is what scares us most. And so we work to answer those mysteries. It’s the reason we invent myths and tales. It’s why we bury our heads in books or escape in movie theaters. But it’s also why we study the world, and why we’ve been able to answer some phenomenal questions and overcome some tremendous problems.
Mystery can be our biggest impediment or our strongest motivator. Fearing it can lead you to lock yourself in your room, to stick to what you know in order to avoid any discomfort, or worse, inventing answers as quickly as possible in order to “solve” those mysteries. The ironic part is that, in attempting to run from these mysteries, you end up being mighty uncomfortable in the end. An old man living a boy’s life, only without the time to do anything about it.
Embracing mystery can only lead to a fuller life (there are endless mysteries to solve, after all). You will certainly have more uncomfortable experiences along the way, but you won’t be full of regret at the end.
So use mystery to your advantage. Recognize all those times where you don’t have answers, and embrace them. Don’t rush to find psudo-answers to cling to until you can jam your head back into the sand. Not knowing what’s going to happen is the most beautiful experience you can have, precisely because that’s the fundamental emotion that stands at the intersection of true art and true science. It’s where all the best stuff happens.
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