The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science.
He who knows it not and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement,
is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle.
~Albert Einstein
Recently words like amazement, enchantment, and elegance have been filling my mind. I'm loving these words and I say them over and over again, almost mantra-like:
Amazement ~ Enchantment ~ Elegance
I like how Einstein puts amazement into the category of the mysterious. This really resonates with me. I like the thought of being mysteriously amazed and enchanted.
In his book, In Pursuit of Elegance, Matthew May says that elegance is that missing piece in situations that otherwise would be easily understood. He says that an elegant solution is in a class all its own. What sets it apart is the unique combination of surprising power and uncommon simplicity and that elegance entails achieving far more with much less when faced with a complex problem. He says that no matter how much we pursue it, elegance is an elusive target, difficult to decode and that's why it's rare. Experiencing elegance is always profound, he says, with it giving us pause, often evoking "of course". U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said that to find elegance you must appreciate, embrace then travel beyond complexity.
These three words are beyond complexity, simple yet not simplistic. They are magical and I like putting them all together. What do you think?
In his book, In Pursuit of Elegance, Matthew May says that elegance is that missing piece in situations that otherwise would be easily understood. He says that an elegant solution is in a class all its own. What sets it apart is the unique combination of surprising power and uncommon simplicity and that elegance entails achieving far more with much less when faced with a complex problem. He says that no matter how much we pursue it, elegance is an elusive target, difficult to decode and that's why it's rare. Experiencing elegance is always profound, he says, with it giving us pause, often evoking "of course". U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said that to find elegance you must appreciate, embrace then travel beyond complexity.
These three words are beyond complexity, simple yet not simplistic. They are magical and I like putting them all together. What do you think?
I love this trio of words Nancy -- you're right; they're powerful and worth the hot pursuit. Something or someone
ReplyDeleteelegant is classy and in a class of own
above the average...
Kids can experience amazement and enchantment but not necessarily elegance.
It takes maturity to achieve that --I think it begins in teen years...