My point was that to me, he didn't have a choice... you don't decide to get enlightened, as you don't decide to wake up in good or a bad mood, even if you don't have a choice in the rest of your tasks during the day, there are some things, or states that seems that you have more control than others.  For me enlightenment is like crossing someone on the street and/or could be seen as a part of evolution or just part of life, of nature. It is not because you look for it, that you will find it. The day you drop the quest to enlightenment, is the day it might strike you with all its powers. It will be at the least expected place and come at the least expected time.  I believe Eckart didn't look for enlightenment at all and didn't have a clue of what it was in the first place.