The sun rises every morning. I do not rise every morning, but the variation is due not to my activity, but to my inaction. Now, to put the matter in a popular phrase, it might be true that the sun rises regularly because he never gets tired of rising. His routine might be due, not to a lifelessness, but to a rush of life.
The thing I mean can be seen, for instance, in children, when they find some game or joke that they specially enjoy. A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun, and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon.
It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. (paragraph breaks added)
Source: Orthodoxy, GK Chesterton
Aha! The true meaning of “Isn’t that just ducky” revealed! I have always thought that having to dive for one’s food more than compensated for those stolen moments of leisure.
Laurna – I must admit I hate to put my head or face under water (as in swimming), so I don’t envy them their leisure, even if they do look here as if they’re listening to the teacher.
I once watched some baby ducklings trying to feed in Lost Lagoon, in Stanley Park. They were so fluffy and buoyant, they couldn’t get underwater! When they followed Mom Duck, and jumped into the Lagoon from the shore, they bounced.
Jim T
Jim T – Designed to float is good. Designed not to be able to dunk your head to feed is maybe going too far!
I like ducks!
Alison – I like cute ducks.