Not the earthquake, but the earth.

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The world will never starve for want of wonders, but for want of wonder. We should always endeavor to wonder at the permanent thing, not at the mere exception. We should be startled by the sun, and not by the eclipse. We should wonder less at the earthquake, and wonder more at the earth. What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder. It was not merely a world full of miracles; it was a miraculous world. Somehow we must love the world without being worldly.

-G.K. Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles

Camille Pissarro, Woman Digging

8 thoughts on “Not the earthquake, but the earth.”

    1. I hadn’t thought about the people, but as you mention them, I think Chesterton’s thought applies there, too; it seems to me that the wonders — and mysteries — of the everyday, average or common people, the “salt of the earth” or earthy types, are more interesting and satisfying than those of whoever we might identify as the “earthquake” people 😉

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  4. How much can be said about each line of this, practically! Why don’t we wonder at these things? We’re busy inventing “amazing” things, and we ignore what’s around us. The world is run by geeks and they don’t notice reality, they want to re-make it. What they don’t realize is that it’s a futile exercise.

    Anyway – to love the world without being worldly – I was just thinking of that today! Every now and then you run into an illustration of the blessed in heaven: they all look the same, on a cloud, etc. And I can’t help but ask myself “is it possible? That the God who made such variety in the world, the trees, the wind, the intricate flowers, the creatures, variety in personality, etc.. I’d rather this than that.” I think these artists should give up trying to illustrate the next life, because they will just turn people away. 🙂

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