“L’émerveillement du quotidien” is one of my favourite French phrases. It captures an attitude of mind and an approach to life which I think both opens me up to new experiences and enriches my every day.
There’s a sense of wonder in that phrase – of amazement, of delight and of awe. A “wow”!
I’m very taken with the philosophers who emphasise difference – because looking for difference not only helps me to be aware of novelty and transience. All of which together contributes to valuing uniqueness, diversity and dynamic change.
But there is also curiosity here. Elizabeth Gilbert, in her “Big Magic”, emphasises curiosity –
I believe that curiosity is the secret. Curiosity is the truth and the way of creative living……In fact, curiosity only ever asks one simple question: “Is there anything you’re interested in?” Anything? Even a tiny bit? No matter how mundane or small?…..Following that scavenger hunt of curiosity can lead you to amazing, unexpected places….Or it may lead you nowhere. You might spend your whole life following your curiosity and have absolutely nothing to show for it at the end – except one thing. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you passed your entire existence in devotion to the noble human virtue of inquisitiveness.
And that should be more than enough for anyone to say they that lived a rich and splendid life.
There you have it – it’s not about ends, it’s about means. It’s not about goals, targets or ticking things off the to do list. It’s about following your inquisitiveness.
Because we’ll just never be done with discovering and learning!
Heroes Not Zombies 
[…] There’s wonder. Wonder and curiosity. That’s the response I had when I saw all the birds. That’s the attitude I hope to take into every day – l’émerveillement du quotidien. […]
[…] disorder” which can be treated with a good dose of “Vitamin N” (Nature), to l’émerveillement, to mindfulness and neuroscience, it’s clear that one of the best ways to develop a healthier […]