Once upon a sunny morning a man who sat in a breakfast nook looked up from his scrambled eggs to see a white unicorn with a golden horn quietly cropping the roses in the garden. The man went up to the bedroom where his wife was still asleep and woke her. 'There's a unicorn in the garden,' he said. 'Eating roses.' She opened one unfriendly eye and looked at him. 'The unicorn is a mythical beast,' she said, and turned her back on him. The man walked slowly downstairs and out into the garden. The unicorn was still there; he was now browsing among the tulips.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A mundane interaction reveals how skepticism shuts down wonder and communication between partners.
- In plain terms
- Doubt kills shared wonder and connection.
- What can you take from it?
- Skepticism can isolate us from magic and each other.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When was the last time you dismissed someone's wonder?
- How does skepticism affect your relationships?
Another view
It simplifies complex communication issues into one skeptical reaction.
More from James Thurber
You can fool too many of the people too much of the time.
Permalink to quote #10 Don't count your boobies until they are hatched.
Permalink to quote #12 You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.
Permalink to quote #9
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