<p>This article represents months of reading, which initially began in an effort to try to understand the popularity of hermeneutics and phenomenology in nursing research. I wanted to find an answer to the following question: Why is hermeneutics such a popular research methodology in nursing? On my journey, I had to negotiate many meanings and understandings. This paper is the result of my reading. It is hoped that this journey will help others trying to grasp what is meant by hermeneutics, and its links with phenomenology.</p>