Normal things that are quietly astonishing

There are some things that are an accepted part of the world but are also kind of amazing. Sometimes I like to imagine that I was born in the 19th Century and suddenly transported to the present day. I would wander around with astonishment and be truly gobsmacked at the kind of stuff going on.

Let me give just a few examples:

1. Skyscrapers. Watching skyscrapers being constructed is very mesmerising. Huge pieces of materials, often bigger than a normal house, get lifted up in giant cranes. Skyscrapers are massive stacks of Jenga blocks, but they somehow stay standing.
2. Aeroplanes. Large pieces of metal, holding dozens of people, just fly through the sky on a regular basis. It’s terrifying and it doesn’t make sense.
3. Telephones. We can just communicate with other people immediately even though they are very far away from us. We act like this is normal, but it’s actually incredible. It feels like an amazing superpower. Don’t even get me started on radio and the Internet.

But some of the things that astound me are not even technology related. Take these natural wonders:

1. Human healing powers. Our bodies are able to repair themselves when they get hurt! Every time I get a paper cut or a small injury, I am fascinated to observe my body fix itself over time. Incredible.
2. Languages. We are able to communicate with each other through complicated patterns of sounds that most of us don’t even remember learning. Each language has its own intricate rules and structures that take years to study formally. There are over 250 different Indigenous languages in Australia alone.
3. The Ocean. The Ocean is just so big. It covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and whenever I look at it I feel pretty damn tiny. What’s more, over 80% of it is still unexplored.

There are countless other examples of awe-inspiring things that we just take for granted.

Am I the only one who thinks about this stuff? Or is everyone else moving on with their lives while I sit and ponder the magic of these everyday things?