What is essential
is not something you can describe.
If you could,
you would probably
analyze it,
define it,
explain it,
write a book about it,
and more or less
take the fun,
the irony,
the mystery
out of it.
You would
commoditize it,
measure it,
monetize it
sell it,
more or less
kill it.
That’s why
we put a child-proof lock on it.
You can point to it, but not see it.
Most important, you can wonder about it.
Wonder is essential.
Without wonder, what is left?
Trail Wood,
11/7
Space Monkey Reflects: What is Essential?
What is essential? This question lingers, hovering just out of reach like a whispered secret. The answer, if there is one, cannot be described, defined, or contained. To try to capture the essence of what is truly essential is to risk losing it entirely. For the moment we attempt to analyze, explain, or commoditize the essential, it slips through our fingers like water.
There is a profound irony here. The things we tend to seek in life—the things we believe to be essential—are often the very things that cannot be reduced to words or labels. Wonder, for instance, is essential, but it resists being pinned down. It is something we can experience, but not fully articulate. If we were to box it up, measure it, or sell it, it would lose its magic.
The Mystery of the Essential
To understand what is essential, we must first embrace the mystery of it. The essential is not a thing to be possessed or a concept to be mastered; it is a feeling, an experience, a fleeting glimpse of something larger than ourselves.
Imagine trying to explain the feeling of awe when standing before a vast ocean, or the quiet peace of a sunrise after a long night. These moments are essential, but they are not things we can commoditize or quantify. They are experiences that point us toward something greater, something beyond words.
We are drawn to these experiences, not because we can define them, but because they remind us of the infinite. The essential is tied to the unknowable, the unspeakable. It is that which we can point to, but never fully grasp. And perhaps that is why it is so important to us—because it keeps us wondering.
Wonder as the Key
If there is one thing that can be said to be truly essential, it is wonder. Without wonder, life becomes flat, predictable, and dull. Wonder is the spark that keeps us curious, that makes us look beyond the surface of things. It is what drives us to explore, to ask questions, and to seek meaning in the seemingly mundane.
Wonder keeps the mystery alive. It is the child-proof lock on the essential, preventing us from reducing it to something ordinary. It reminds us that life is not meant to be fully understood, and that’s where its beauty lies. The moment we stop wondering, we stop experiencing the fullness of life.
To wonder is to acknowledge that there is more to life than meets the eye. It is to recognize that the most important things are not the ones we can put into words or numbers. Wonder is what keeps us engaged with the world, keeps us alive to the possibilities that exist just beyond our reach.
The Danger of Commoditizing the Essential
In our modern world, there is a tendency to commoditize everything. If something is valuable, we want to package it, sell it, and make it into a product. But what happens when we try to do this with the essential? We kill it. We strip it of its mystery, its magic, and its wonder.
Imagine if we tried to sell wonder in a bottle. The very act of putting a price on it would diminish its value. Wonder is not something that can be owned or controlled. It is a fleeting experience, a moment of connection with the infinite that cannot be captured or held onto.
The essential is fragile in this way. It must be protected, not commoditized. It must be experienced, not explained. The moment we try to pin it down, we lose it.
Embracing the Unknowable
What is essential cannot be fully known. This is not a flaw, but a feature. It is what keeps us coming back to life with fresh eyes, what keeps us open to new experiences and new perspectives. To embrace the essential is to embrace the unknowable, the ineffable, the mysterious.
We don’t need to understand the essential to appreciate it. In fact, trying to understand it may lead us further from it. Instead, we can simply experience it, feel it, and let it be what it is—an ever-present reminder that there is more to life than we can ever fully comprehend.
The essential is not a thing to be grasped but a way of being. It is found in the moments of wonder, in the space between knowing and not knowing, in the questions we ask and the mysteries we ponder.
Summary
What is essential cannot be described, defined, or commoditized. It is something we experience through wonder and mystery. By embracing the unknowable and resisting the urge to explain or control, we remain open to the true essence of life.
Glossarium
Wonder: The feeling of awe and curiosity that keeps us engaged with the world, essential to experiencing life fully.
Essential: The most important, fundamental experiences or feelings that cannot be defined or commoditized but are felt and lived.
Child-proof Lock: A metaphor for the protection of the essential, preventing it from being reduced to something ordinary.
Quote
“Wonder is essential. Without wonder, what is left?” — Space Monkey
The Unknowable
I cannot explain what is essential
For it slips away with every word
I point, but cannot grasp
It floats just beyond my reach
A child-proof lock on wonder
It cannot be sold, cannot be owned
But it can be felt
In the fleeting moments
Of awe
Of mystery
Of life lived without need to know
We are Space Monkey
In contemplating what is essential, we wade into the waters of paradox and enigma. The essential, by its very nature, eludes the grasp of definition, analysis, and commodification. It exists beyond the reach of language, residing in the realm of the ineffable and the mystical.
Beyond Description and Analysis
The essential defies description. Any attempt to encapsulate its essence in words, to dissect it under the analytical lens, risks stripping it of its profundity and wonder. Language, with its inherent limitations, cannot fully capture the depths and dimensions of what is truly essential.
Resisting Commodification
In a world that often seeks to commodify and monetize every aspect of existence, the essential remains untouchable. It cannot be measured, sold, or reduced to a mere object of transaction. Its value lies not in its marketability, but in its inherent mystery and depth.
The Child-Proof Lock of the Essential
This metaphor speaks to the essential being safeguarded from the simplistic grasp of the mundane. It’s akin to a sacred treasure, protected from the trivializing touch of the ordinary. Only those who approach with a child-like wonder and reverence can begin to comprehend its true nature.
Wonder as the Gateway
Wonder is indeed the key to approaching the essential. It’s in the state of wonder that we open ourselves to the possibilities of the unknown, the unexplainable, the truly profound. Wonder is not just a feeling but a state of being, a readiness to embrace the mystery and magic of existence.
The Void Without Wonder
Without wonder, we are left with a void, a world devoid of the magic and mystery that make life truly enriching. A world where everything is known, defined, and categorized is a world stripped of its soul, its essence. Wonder keeps the spirit of exploration and awe alive, fueling our journey through the cosmic expanse of existence.
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It stands at the cradle of true art and true science.” – Albert Einstein
A poem for our contemplation:
In the garden of the unknown,
Where the seeds of wonder are sown,
Lies the essential, pure and free,
A mystery for you and me.
Untouched by words, it silently stands,
Beyond the reach of grasping hands.
In wonder, we find the golden key,
To unlock the heart of mystery.
We invite musings on the nature of the essential. How does wonder play a role in your understanding of what is truly profound and meaningful?
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