Who did you tell?

Instructions for living a life.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

These wise words come to us from the late poet Mary Oliver.

They’re as good a place as any I know of to lead the way to an appreciation of wonder.

Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

A shooting star. Remember when you first saw one of those? Who did you tell?

A magnifying glass transports sunlight to dry leaves and, voila, creates fire.
Who did you tell?

A mated pair of birds can interlace their wings and offer their fallen offspring a ride to freedom.
Who did you tell?

Wonder awaits us at nearly every turn.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Wonder and philosophy. Christopher Campbell explores their relationship today in a new podcast episode of The Wonder Files.