They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.
It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.
The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore. Heaven may encore the bird who laid an egg. If the human being conceives and brings forth a human child instead of bringing forth a fish, or a bat, or a griffin, the reason may not be that we are fixed in an animal fate without life or purpose. It may be that our little tragedy has touched the gods, that they admire it from their starry galleries, and that at the end of every human drama man is called again and again before the curtain.
G.K. Chesterton, The Ethics of Elfland
Happy Tuesday, everyone! Have a beautiful—but not monotonous—day.
PS. I absolutely love this week of feasts, don’t you?
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Jennifer says
And I take a bow – Thank you! Thank you! This was a great start to my day Margaret.
Mrs. Bubbles says
I have always loved this passage by Chesterton; thanks for reminding me of it!
Serene says
Happy Tuesday! I'm a freak in that I don't actually mind monotony: it's peaceful and meditative to me.
Karen E. says
One of my favorite Chesterton quotes!