We live in a world obsessed with completion. Finish that task. Achieve that goal. Conquer that to-do list. Enter that prompt. Run that code. Generate that image.
But what about the beauty of the unfinished? The rest. And other things.
The phrase "et cetera" comes from Latin, where it literally means "and the rest" or "and other things."
The allure of the "et cetera," the whispered suggestion that there's always more beyond the horizon of our immediate perception? I’d like to go there more.
Leonardo da Vinci, the quintessential Renaissance man, understood this concept intimately. In his notebooks, amidst sketches of flying machines and anatomical studies, lies a poignant reminder of life's fleeting nature. His final journal entry, scribbled in a hurried hand, abruptly ends with:
"...et cetera, et cetera, because the soup is getting cold." - Leonardo Da Vinci
Think about that for a moment. Here's a man who epitomized the pursuit of knowledge, the relentless exploration of the universe and human potential, cutting short his intellectual pursuit because... well, because lunch was waiting.
Just like mine is at this moment. So, we break for salmon. Be right back.
The words of Leonardo spell out a seemingly mundane ending to a lifetime of extraordinary inquiry, and that speaks volumes. It reminds me that life is not just about grand achievements and completed masterpieces. It's also about the simple pleasures, the everyday moments that nourish our souls. It's about the unfinished beauty that recognizing that "et cetera" encompasses a whole universe of experience beyond our immediate focus. It is the long awaited hug we all deserve in times such as these. Don’t pull away so quickly.
The power of "et cetera" lies in its open-endedness. Not in its incompleteness. I was raised to remember one cannot use it unless three mentions come before it. So, I still fall victim to the counting of 1-2-3 to then be worthy of the ellipsis. Such a simple phrase to dance with…rather rebelliously. It invites us to imagine what might come next, to acknowledge the infinite possibilities that exist beyond the confines of our current knowledge. It's a reminder that life is a journey, not a destination, and that the joy lies in the exploration itself. The embrace itself. The infinite itself.
In a world that often feels overwhelming, embracing the "et cetera" can be liberating. It allows us to let go of the need for closure, to embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty that are inherent in the human experience. Try it. See if it can, just this once, give you permission to leave things unfinished, to savor the process rather than obsessing over the outcome. You never know what might come of its generosity.
So the next time you find yourself caught up in the unending pursuit of completion, remember da Vinci's soup getting cold. Remember that "et cetera" holds a world of possibilities, a universe of unwritten stories and unexplored paths. Embrace the beauty of the unfinished, and allow yourself to be surprised by what lies beyond the horizon of your current understanding.
Et cetera, et cetera... because there's a whole world out there waiting to be discovered.
To have someone like Leonardo use this term affects me in two ways — it makes me appreciate even more the seemingly limitless fount of wisdom and curiosity of this great thinker; and gives me permission to allow for the possibility that there is more for me to know beyond anything I might aver on the page or in my mind.