Eternal Appetite for Infancy Source

Quite a few people commented and sent me messages about the life-altering quote from G. K. Chesterton on repetition.  I thought it might be good to tell you the source of this in case you want to read this fantastic book yourself.  The quote is from the 4th chapter called “The Ethics of Elfland.”  Doesn’t that chapter title just make you want to read it all the more? Here is a beautiful centennial version of Orthodoxy along with the quote again.

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 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 to make all daisies appear alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never grown tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite for infancy: for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

You may also want to read about how this relates to thoughts on piano teaching here.