We Don't Have to Fight off Tigers Anymore

A moment that inspired me today: While walking, I passed a kid shrieking with absolute joy while holding the leash of a pint-sized, fluffy white dog (Poodle? Bischon? Shih Tzu?). The dog—in a full gallop—was doing the leading, in playful pursuit of a bigger pup ten feet ahead. The parents watched on with soft smiles a little ways behind.

The dog seemed like a new addition to the family, but that was my own mind working to fill in the gaps on its own. My adult brain just kind of assumed the kid wouldn’t be having so much fun if the dog wasn’t new. But the pure emotions emanating from the kid-pet duo struck me as something truly special.

It made me wonder: Does something need to be novel in order for us to experience that shrieking-kid level of joy? Can we still feel immense, unfiltered emotion for things we’ve become accustomed to? I understand that on an evolutionary level, our reactions to stimuli had to decrease in intensity over time to save us precious energy to fight off a tiger or whatnot.

But for our modern purposes, I don’t want to live in a way where, over time, tiny everyday moments don’t move us anymore.