“The weather and my mood have little connection. I have my foggy and my fine days within me; my prosperity or misfortune has little to do with the matter.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“The weather and my mood have little connection. I have my foggy and my fine days within me; my prosperity or misfortune has little to do with the matter.”
Explanation
Pascal expresses the deeply introspective idea that our emotional state is shaped more by inner disposition than by external conditions. Whether the skies are clear or cloudy, whether life is easy or hard, our sense of well-being often depends more on what is happening within us—our thoughts, habits, and spiritual condition—than on outside circumstances. Joy and sorrow, lightness and gloom, can arise even in contradiction to what surrounds us.
Though this specific quote does not appear in Pensées, it reflects a central theme of Pascal’s thought: the instability and inwardness of the human condition. He believed that man is often restless, self-deceiving, and in search of diversion to avoid facing inner emptiness. The statement acknowledges that external fortune cannot guarantee inner peace, and that true stability must be grounded within the self and, ultimately, in faith.
In today’s world, where well-being is frequently tied to material success, social approval, or favorable conditions, Pascal’s insight remains especially poignant. Mood is not always a reflection of circumstances, and chasing external improvements does not always cure inner distress. His quote encourages us to look inward—to cultivate interior clarity, resilience, and spiritual depth, knowing that both storm and sunshine may reside, not in the sky, but in the heart.
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