"One never can know the whys and the wherefores of one's passional changes"

David Herbert Lawrence brings attention to the mysterious and often unpredictable nature of human emotions and desires. Human beings regularly experience shifts in feelings, attractions, passions, and attachments that do not always possess obvious causes. Rational analysis of these changes may prove fruitless because desire and emotional allegiance exist in a realm governed by the unconscious as much as by reasoned choice. All too often, individuals seek explanations or patterns for why they fall in love, out of love, or suddenly find themselves driven by a new longing or obsession, only to discover that these explanations are incomplete or unsatisfying.

Lawrence suggests the complexity of internal emotional landscapes. Life’s circumstances, fleeting impressions, buried memories, chance encounters, or even subtle changes in one’s internal or external environment can spark transformations in the heart. Such changes are not always linear or logical; a person might one day wake with powerful, inexplicable feelings that differ radically from those of the recent past. This unpredictability is an important reminder of both the freedom and the mystery inherent in human experience. Attempts to pin down causes may stem from a desire to control or predict what fundamentally lies outside the realm of complete mastery.

The admission that we “never can know the whys and the wherefores” also encourages humility and acceptance. Rather than treating emotional change as a problem to be solved, one might approach it as part of the broader human condition, a dynamic, shifting interplay between self, others, and the world. There is wisdom in recognizing the limits of self-knowledge, as well as an implicit call to honor one’s deepest feelings, even when their origins are obscure. Embracing this sense of mystery provides space for growth, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the unfathomable richness of life’s emotional spectrum.