Here are some things to wonder about, as every day is better when it is filled with wonder.
We all have multiple talents. Some of us can cook and sing. Others are good at sports and also have a green thumb. It can go on and on. Even our presidents can be this way. Consider smart Abe Lincoln. Before he became president, young Abraham was wrestling champion of his county in Illinois. He fought in nearly 300 matches and lost only one. He would go on to wrestle with a lot in his life.
On a totally different note, some people are inventive at a very early age. Take Louis Braille, for instance. Braille was 12 years old when he learned of a silent communication language used by the French military. He began to transform those communications into a language that allows blind people to read. It is amazing what some young people have done throughout history. When I was 12, I was probably reading Nancy Drew spy novels and trying to score potato chips.
Since we are on the topic of inventive and creative people, how about Mary Shelley? A little group of writers, including Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori, were stuck inside on a rainy day in 1816. So. They challenged each other to a scary story writing contest. Mary came up with the idea for Frankenstein and published it two years later, at age 20. Monster Mash.
Oh, stuck inside on a rainy day. Or, stuck inside for 500 days during a pandemic. It brought out different things in people, that is for sure. But one thing seemed to filter into almost everyone. Casual dress. The suits and ties came off, as did the dresses and high heels. Jammie pants and sweatshirts were the attire for many across our great nation. But it wasn’t the first time for this type of behavior. President Thomas Jefferson hated formal affairs so much that he would often greet foreign dignitaries while wearing pajamas. I hope they weren’t the onesie kind with the built-in footies.
While I’m at home, I love to look out and see all that is happening in nature. The birds, the deer. Squirrels and chipmunks. Butterflies, bees, and ants. Most of all, I love the rabbits. I often think I would like to have a pet rabbit, but I’m not quite sure they wouldn’t rather be somewhere else. And. I just learned that in Queensland, Australia, it’s illegal to own a pet rabbit unless you’re a magician. Presto. Change-o. Maybe that can be my excuse.
Truthfully, I’m not a magician, though as a kid, I did magic tricks and even got a magic kit for Christmas one year. One thing I never got was an Easy-Bake Oven. While I can bake, for the most part, I do not bake — as I don’t eat sweets. But I do know a thing or two about it. For instance. The Washburn Crosby Company, back in 1921, was getting a lot of inquiries sent to their flour-milling company. So they created Betty Crocker to answer those letters in a more personal way. Betty was a fictitious person. But get this. Duncan Hines was a real person. He was a popular restaurant critic who also wrote a book of hotel recommendations. Let them all eat cake.
Finally. Back to the wonder of life. We are all getting older. By the minute. With me, the older I get, the more I am filled with wonder. But getting older comes with other things too. The older I get, the more I have to pee. Yet. We should always count our blessings. It could be worse. At least I am not a lobster. Their bladders are in their heads.
That could be bad for us. Especially in public restrooms. And believe me, I definitely wonder about those sometimes.
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“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.”
― Socrates
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“Almost the entire world is asleep. Those who are awake live in constant amazement.”
― Tom Hanks, Joe vs. the Volcano
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“Bert gave a long low whistle, like a bullet that could bend around corners.”
― Javier Pedro Zabala, The Mad Patagonian
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Some things to wonder about
