Blasé

On Radio 4's 'The Infinite Monkey Cage', a contributor spoke about bringing Beethoven back to life in order to  show him what we are doing with recorded music.  He said it would 'blow his mind'.  It was noted that latterly, he was deaf, so perhaps a younger self would be needed.  In truth, we should all have our minds blown, because we all live with the amazing discoveries of the 20th century but eyelid rarely bat.

It struck me that there is nothing new here at all.  If our minds were open to all the amazing things going on around us; the wonders of nature, our existence, the science of the natural world, let alone modern discoveries,the impact would similarly be great.

I was reminded of the Hindi story of the farmer who was called to move his cow from obstructing the high way.  A crowd stood around in amazement as he walked over to his cow, put his arms gently around it, and picked it up, and moved it gingerly off the road.  A gorping onlooker asked where he got his strength from.  The farmer look puzzled, and said that it was nothing.  "I have always loved my cow from a calf.  Every day I have tended to it and picked it up to move it from danger.  Today is no different."

This is a gentle way of reminding me that we have got used to the enormity of creation around us, and the presence of its creator.  Perhaps incremental wonder is appropriate.  It is actually part of us.

A friend told me that on holiday in the south of France, he stood in a vineyard while the rain came pouring down.  "Ah", he said, "the miracle of the water into wine."

The radio commentator referred to our seeming lack of awareness as 'blasé'.