One thing we can relearn from babies is the way they live and feel entirely in the present, untroubled by the past, unanxious about the future. Capturing this one transcendent moment of happiness, I was reminded of a quote:
“The word ‘infant’ is derived from the Latin word for ‘unable to speak,’ but you’ll be perfectly capable of saying one thing: ‘I suffer,’ and you’ll do it tirelessly and without hesitation. I have to admire your utter commitment to that statement; when you cry, you’ll become outrage incarnate, every fiber of your body employed in expressing that emotion. It’s funny: when you’re tranquil, you will seem to radiate light, and if someone were to paint a portrait of you like that, I’d insist that they include the halo.”
—Ted Chiang, “Story of Your Life”