Significant Insignificant

The joy of discovery is not one that is limited to the greats of our time. Columbus, one guesses, was perhaps more relieved than anything when he "discovered" the American mainland. The ancient alchemists upon discovering a new element or maybe a novel way of speeding up a chemical reaction perhaps felt a sense of accomplishment that would have surpassed their joy, or at best provided them with mixed feelings of happiness, a sense of accomplishment, pride etc. They would not have been able to experience the elation that a young child's countenance shows when he discovers, for instance, the volume knob on a radio. Clearly of no larger significance to anyone else, but a source of unadulterated joy to the child. Even when we are older discoveries insignificant from a higher vantage point are the ones that present us with that moment of indescribable happiness. The feeling of finding a piece of sea glass, a smooth and perfectly rounded stone on a river bank, a shiny trinket in the mud, an old coin, an art gallery that no one knows about, a tea stall with tea so good you would think the leaves fell straight from heaven, a hidden beach, a clearing in the woods, the list is endless. We all have these little discoveries that we have made and cherished, discoveries that have blessed us with that fleeting moment of joy in its utmost clarity and purity, joy that approaches elation and excitement, that skip of the heart beat, almost like falling in love.
For most of us, these moments seem few and far in between but if we let our imagination roam there are pleasures for our taking around every bend in the winding path of life. Every moment we live, and each breath we take there is something that we can take joy in. This possibly is the greatest discovery of all that we as human beings can make. To find joy in the smallest of things, no matter how insignificant.