“The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder.”
GK Chesterton
I was reminded by this quote while listening to I, Pencil by Leonard Read. I’ve been meaning to listen to this essay for several years but didn’t get around to it until a few days ago.
Leonard Read encourages us to expand our thinking by learning about the production process of a simple item like the pencil. He writes about the millions of people that are involved in making a pencil. He talks about the beautifully immense unseen coordination that happens to make such a seemingly simple object.
In the same vein, Russ Roberts, the host of Econtalk, wrote a beautiful poem, turned into a video and website called It’s a Wonderful Loaf. Roberts invites us to consider the hidden harmony of everyday life by examining all the things that go into making a loaf of bread.
Finally, AJ Jacobs reminds us to stay thankful in his book Thanks a Thousand. He tries to thank all of the people that are involved in the intricate concatenated coordination of the products he uses in daily life.
I hope one of the links above helps remind you to stay curious and keep a sense of wonder about daily life.
Aaron Olson 