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Abraham J. Heschel: Live Life in Radical Amazement Daily
Awe is the beginning of happiness
As a kid, the world was full of magic and mystery. There were hidden worlds lurking behind every corner, waiting to be discovered.
Everything felt like an adventure because we didn’t know everything about the world yet. Now, as an adult, so many things feel mundane and ordinary. We’re no longer excited by simple things that used to thrill us as kids.
Instead of being amazed by the ordinary, we are jaded by it. Everything feels dull and uninspiring because we have stopped appreciating and looking to be inspired. We have stopped looking for wonders in the world around us. As a result, we have stopped seeing them too.
Life and living it take over senses when we assume responsibility for ourselves and others. But the irony is that meaning and happiness essentially depend on appreciating even the smallest things happening for and around us.
For a more meaningful life, we must make a conscious effort to see life through childlike eyes again — to find wonder in all things great and small once more — for without wonder; life can quickly become less exciting.
The great philosopher, civil rights activist, rabbi and theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel was best known for his ideas…
