One of the biggest things (maybe the biggest) I'm looking for in a life partner is that capacity for childlike wonder and awe. I thought I had her ... and I'll never forget those wide open eyes when she came around the corner in that canyon ... or the giggles when she found me in a bush trying to locate that one cricket making such beautiful music. That's one thing I will never want to live without.
Holding on to child-like wonder is one of the essential life skills, I think. I see so many young adults or older adults who have completely lost this, and look down upon the ones who still hold on to the wonder.
As someone who has made it through the gap (Yes, I am old!) I think you've summed it up well. I think there may be an evolutionary element involved. Long ago, when humans were just another animal, life was reduced to finding food on a daily basis until you became food for another animal. Farming changed the equation, as it became possible to make more food than you needed to survive. As that segued into the industrial age, we had the notion of progress. Making more than you needed became the norm. From the standpoint of us as a species, we became the most successful animal ever. But that led to a surge in population, creating competition and the stress of comparison. Unfortunately our success has completely upended the normal cycles of life on earth. We're depleting resources that cannot be replaced, and losing our collective minds in the process. We may not become extinct, but future generations are going to be trending medieval.
One of the biggest things (maybe the biggest) I'm looking for in a life partner is that capacity for childlike wonder and awe. I thought I had her ... and I'll never forget those wide open eyes when she came around the corner in that canyon ... or the giggles when she found me in a bush trying to locate that one cricket making such beautiful music. That's one thing I will never want to live without.
That's so true, Ulrich. Few things are as attractive as a person whose eyes sparkle with wonder at the world.
Holding on to child-like wonder is one of the essential life skills, I think. I see so many young adults or older adults who have completely lost this, and look down upon the ones who still hold on to the wonder.
Absolutely. It's sad/funny how much most adults can learn from kids.
As someone who has made it through the gap (Yes, I am old!) I think you've summed it up well. I think there may be an evolutionary element involved. Long ago, when humans were just another animal, life was reduced to finding food on a daily basis until you became food for another animal. Farming changed the equation, as it became possible to make more food than you needed to survive. As that segued into the industrial age, we had the notion of progress. Making more than you needed became the norm. From the standpoint of us as a species, we became the most successful animal ever. But that led to a surge in population, creating competition and the stress of comparison. Unfortunately our success has completely upended the normal cycles of life on earth. We're depleting resources that cannot be replaced, and losing our collective minds in the process. We may not become extinct, but future generations are going to be trending medieval.
"losing our collective minds..." I like that.
Let's hope humanity still has the chance to grow up without having to revert to the dark ages. Perhaps it's time for another enlightenment?