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Simple monologue:

This was not the world I wanted. But it was the one I found myself in.

I understand the second sentence, that the speaker ended living in a world he does not like. However, can this be interpretted also that he also found himself like "he was able to realize himself" in that world? Or is such interpretation nonsense?

UPDATE: Can you use this sentence in a phylosophical or spiritual way? In the meaning of being at some place in which I "found myself"? - This is the church I found myself in. - If not what is the correct way to express that someone found himself at one particular place?

UPDATE 2: My issue is the mix of the methaprhorical meaning together with position and stranded preposition (this is the world/church I xxxxx in)... to me that makes the sentense confusing and the question is, whether it is a valid construction.

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  • "I found myself in" does not imply anything good or bad about the literal or figurative location -- it's just stating that the individual recognized his position there.
    – Hot Licks
    Mar 15, 2018 at 22:52
  • 'I found myself in Coventry, one wet and blustery morning and there it was that I met my future wife.' 'Having fallen downstairs I found myself in a predicament, with a broken leg and no phone within reach'. I would say there are two meanings there. But 'finding oneself' in a philosophical way, does not involve 'in', I would say.
    – Nigel J
    Mar 15, 2018 at 23:00
  • Updated question title and added a bit clearly stated question.
    – Pavel Horal
    Mar 16, 2018 at 0:03
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    Your latest edit makes your question less clear.
    – Hot Licks
    Mar 16, 2018 at 0:20
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    The interpretation of most sentences that are inherently ambiguous is usually resolved by surrounding context. It's up to the author to explain her or his meaning. But as it stands, yes your text is ambiguous, although the first meaning is the one I would guess.
    – Arm the good guys in America
    May 15, 2018 at 18:50

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Of course, to find yourself may be used either metaphorically or literally, depending on context:

  • to find yourself somewhere or someplace (literally)
  • to find your Self / yourself (metaphorically)

Personally I would phrase it, "your Self", because I find the psychological meaning most relevant, but it is sometimes used poetically ("yourself"). An example would be this song, which uses the phrase both literally and metaphorically, in order to dramatize the subject's spiritual transformation. The contrast between identification with materialism vs. with a more spiritually inclined attitude is nicely expressed in the lyrics:

Find Yourself by Brad Paisley (Youtube video)

When you find yourself [literally]

In some far off place

And it causes you

To rethink some things

You start to sense

That slowly you're becoming someone else

And then you find yourself [metaphorically]

When you make new friends

In a brand new town

And you start to think

About settling down

The things that would have been lost on you

Are now clear as a bell

And you find yourself [metaphorically]

That's when you find yourself [metaphorically]

Well you go through life

So sure of where you're heading

And you wind up lost

And it's the best thing that could happen

‘Cause sometimes when you lose your way

It's really just as well

‘Cause you find yourself [metaphorically]

That's when you find yourself [metaphorically]

When you meet the one

You've been waiting for

And she's everything

That you want and more

You look at her

And you finally start

To live for someone else

And then you find yourself [metaphorically]

That's when you find yourself [metaphorically]

We go though life

So sure of where we're heading

And then we wind up lost

And it's the best thing that could happen

Sometimes when you lose your way

It's really just as well

Because you find yourself [metaphorically]

Yeah that's when you find yourself [metaphorically]

Songwriters: Brad / Douglas Paisley

Find Yourself lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company

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  • My issue with the original question is the mix of the methaprhorical meaning together with position and stranded preposition (this is the world/church I xxxxx in)... to me that makes the sentense confusing and the question is, whether it is a valid construction.
    – Pavel Horal
    Mar 16, 2018 at 8:57
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    With double entendres (double meanings of words or expressions) it's up to you to decide what the author really means (whether correctly or mistakenly). It depends on how well you know the author, and context. Often it is impossible to know for sure, unless you question the author about it. Whether or not you choose to do so, depends on how important you feel it is to gain an accurate understanding of the individual, and your motivation for doing so. Questioning can be seen as rude, unless handled diplomatically. But the best person to ask about the meaning of a double entendre, is the author.
    – Bread
    Mar 16, 2018 at 12:08
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    I don't want to leave my question unanswered so I will accept this as at some level it contains the answer. I was more interested in that specific sentence, rather than in general explanation of the idiom. What I take from your answer and all the other comments -> yes, my sentence can be interpreted in two ways and both are equally valid without any additional context. Thank you.
    – Pavel Horal
    May 16, 2018 at 7:16

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