We were in Washington last weekend and visited a wonderful exhibit at the Renwick Gallery, a small gallery near the White House dedicated to the crafts. The exhibit was "Wonder" and explored and evoked in me (and, if the purpose of the exhibit was realized, in others), the reaction, response, and significance of wonder.
"It is not understanding that destroys wonder, it is familiarity." (John Stuart Mill, 1865) was one of several quotations that were dispersed among the works displayed. The quotation struck true.
Recently, we were blessed with the birth of a second grandchild. As I gazed upon my newborn grandson, I was overwhelmed by the wonder. No familiarity. Nothing taken for granted. Simply wonder.
In Manhattan, I rush past tourists who pause, in awe, at the wonder of our buildings -- the historic architecture of one neighborhood and the skyscrapers of another. I don't stop. Familiarity destroys wonder. Yet I still marvel at the thought of the scenery in Hawaii. And I am lost in the wonder of an infant.
Stop and smell the roses. Put aside the familiarity and take in the wonder that surrounds us.