"Mountains were once my big adventure but is is over since a long time; I still dream from the wonderful days sometimes, read also a few pages from a mountain book. But the thought of doing again active mountain climbing has faded"

Fritz Zwicky’s reflection illustrates the melancholy nostalgia that often accompanies the end of a significant chapter in one’s life. The mountains once provided him with purpose, excitement, and a sense of adventure, representing not only physical exploration but a metaphor for life’s heights and challenges. The past tense, “were once my big adventure”, signals that this vital era is firmly behind him, and there is a gentle resignation in accepting that “it is over since a long time.” This acceptance is neither bitter nor regretful; instead, Zwicky implies a peaceful recognition that passions can fade and pursuits that once defined us can slip into memory.

Despite abandoning the rigors of active climbing, echoes of the past remain vivid. He confesses that he still dreams of those “wonderful days,” and the pleasures of reading “a few pages from a mountain book” suggest a continued, albeit quieter, connection to the mountains. These dreams and readings serve as bridges between his present life and those formative experiences. Thus, adventure is not fully extinguished; it has been transformed, from physical engagement with the wild to reverie and recollection. The mountains, once tangible goals, now exist as landscapes of the mind.

The final line expresses a poignant transition from the possibility of returning to the mountains to a sense of finality: “the thought of doing again active mountain climbing has faded.” Zwicky’s words capture a universal human experience, the gradual softening of passions over time, and the way memories become sanctuary for former pursuits. What was once the driving engine for action becomes the gentle background music of reminiscence. Still, there’s no apparent lament. Instead, his tone evokes the dignity of graceful aging; he honors his past adventures while embracing where life has led him, illustrating how the greatest journeys often continue quietly within us after the external adventure has ended.