- Aeroplanes. How do these massive things manage to stay in the air?
- The internet. All 1613 of my posts are stored in some data centre somewhere. Not to mention endless information available at the click of a mouse. And dozens of other uses.
- Squirrels. They're considered to be among the most intelligent animals in the world. Known for their quickness, intellect, memory, and ability to plan ahead.
- Smart phones. Revolutionised communication. A mobile phone, camera and computer in one device.
- Cutting edge surgery and medical treatment. Previously incurable conditions can now be beaten.
- Love. What is it that makes us fall in love - possibly for an entire lifetime?
- The human brain. For its imagination, its ability to think and reason, its grasp of complexities, and its sudden surprising insights.
- Rock stars who're still alive despite the drugs, the booze, the junk food, the late nights. Mick Jagger is now 81.
- The pianist Yuja Wang. Her astonishing dexterity.
- The mass murmurations of starlings. How come they never collide with each other?
- Chinese trains that can travel at up to 286 mph.
- Polyglots. Like Ziad Fazah from Lebanon, who claims he can read and speak 58 languages including Arabic, Polish, Thai, Urdu, Norwegian, and many more. What's his secret?
There are probably many more things I marvel at, but they don't come to mind right now. I might add a few items as I think of them. We all need to marvel more and scoff less.
I try not to think too much when I’m flying 😵💫 as it does indeed blow the mind. Polyglots are amazing!
ReplyDeleteBijoux: I'm not scared of flying, because I know if there's any problem the pilot and crew want to stay alive and they'll do whatever is necessary.
DeleteNick, I only marvel at human beings capability of resilience. Saïd is a living example. ( You know what I mean.)
ReplyDeleteHannah
Hannah: I do know what you mean. I also marvel at people's capacity for endurance in the face of the most horrific circumstances.
DeleteToddlers--how much they learn so quickly.
DeleteAutumn leaves and their ability to change colors--being beautiful while dying.
Linda
Linda: I don't have any children but yes, how quickly small children learn is constantly remarked on. And autumn leaves are wonderful.
DeleteI bet you understand at least the rudiments of all those marvels.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: No, I don't think I know the rudiments of anything on that list. They're all astounding and mainly a total mystery.
DeleteDo I conclude that some people don't marvel at anything, but just take everything for granted? Am I a bit of an outlier here?
ReplyDeleteJagger had regular sessions of plasmapheresis - cleaning out his blood.
ReplyDeleteI marvel at the power of the human intellect - and marvel too how little it is allowed to flourish under the cosh of the money grabbers.
Fly: Good example. Plasmapharesis was only conceived in 1914, and only became a routine treatment in the early 1950s! And yes, the human intellect is sadly degraded in the cause of money-making.
DeleteGood post!
ReplyDeleteColette: Thank you. I bet there are lots of things you marvel at!
DeleteFor me, nature is the biggest marvel of all, but as you say there are many others. I once met a teenager with a mental age of 4, blind from birth but able to communicate so well with music. I then went to a concert given by people at the special school he attended and they were all severely handicapped too but they communicated with such life and energy entirely with musical instruments. There were human beings inside those damaged minds. Awe inspiring.
ReplyDeleteJenny: That's a wonderful story. How amazing that they may be limited in some ways but they can communicate so well through music.
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