Child’s Wonder, Pleasure in Knowing, & Self-Transcendence
Wednesday Wisdoms for November 13, 2024
Welcome to Wednesday Wisdom, our 3x3 Newsletter where I distill worldly advice for better living with 3 quotes, 3 observations, and 3 questions.
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Child’s Wonder
🤨 Quote
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the Universe about us, the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race. Wonder and humility are wholesome emotions, and they do not exist side by side with a lust for destruction.”
Rachel Carson
Source: The Power of Wonder
Observation 🧐
Rachel Carson, writing about the damages and environmental impact of pesticides, was a staunch representative of the beauty and wonder of nature.
Her work, Silent Spring, portrayed the harmful effects humans have placed on nature. But it was The Sense of Wonder where she sought to remind the world of just how magnificent it is.
“A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.”
We’re so easily swept away by what we’re told life is. Get up, get an education, go to work, buy a home—We’ve lost touch with nature.
In order to restore wonder in our lives, we need return to nature. There is a healing factor in it. When we get away and are able to visit national parks, or see things that have been growing for thousands of years such as the Red Woods, we’re reminded of just how resilient life is.
And at the same time, we’re transported back to what it was like in our youth, where we could easily find wonder and awe in the amazement of nature’s breath.
🤔 Question
What was the last trip you took to nature? What emotions do you remember it invoking within you?
Pleasure in Knowing
🤨 Quote
“Curiosity is a gift, a capacity of pleasure in knowing.”
John Ruskin
Source: Why Buddhism is True
Observation 🧐
We like to say curiosity is a superpower, but really it is just about better understanding yourself and what interests you.
When one finds something that interests them, curiosity naturally blossoms. It blossoms because you’re invested and want to know more.
It is through this process, this exploration and pursuit of knowing, that we collect the true power of knowledge because we find where things connect and where they intersect.
It is in these ‘wow’ or ‘aha’ moments that ignite our passion for knowledge.
It is like fitting a puzzle piece into the proper spot, it clicks and feels just right.
🤔 Question
Think about the last book you read that interested you. How many works went into writing that one book? Pick another work from the bibliography and explore that. Before you know it, you will be exploring works you never would have before.
Beneath the paywall this week we explore the wisdom of Jonathan Haidt. Click below to support and get access.