I’m currently reading through The Lord of the Rings, and a short conversation in the final volume caught my attention.

“And there are caves, Merry, caves of wonder! Shall we visit them, Legolas, do you think?”

“Nay! there is no time,” said the Elf. “Do not spoil the wonder with haste!"1

There were incredible caves nearby, caves that would spark wonder. But Legolas and Gimli didn’t have much time. And so they decided to “not spoil the wonder with haste,” deferring the awe-inspiring sights until later when they could give the wonders the time and attention they deserved.

Now, there may not be incredible caves down the road from you or me, but there are opportunities for wonder all around us—in nature, in the people we encounter, in what they do or create. But how often do we shortchange these opportunities, or miss them altogether, because we’re in a hurry? We’re pressed for time, and the wonder and awe that we could experience are dulled by our haste.

Haste may be necessary at times. But if you want to experience a life steeped in wonder, it’s good to remember that haste and wonder don’t readily mix.

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Passing of the Grey Company”, in The Lord of the Rings, book V, ch. 2. ↩︎