"The whole world is a series of miracles, but we're so used to them we call them ordinary things"

Human perception is often dulled by familiarity. When something is encountered every day, its value can fade from view, even if that thing is truly astonishing in its nature. The succession of daylight and darkness, the unfurling of leaves in spring, the beating of a human heart, these are occurrences so fundamental and persistent that they gradually become invisible. Yet each one is improbable, delicate, and remarkable in its own right.

Hans Christian Andersen’s observation points to the way routine mutes our capacity for awe. The “series of miracles” is a reminder that the natural order is neither simple nor guaranteed. If we were to see the world with fresh eyes, even for a moment, the ordinariness would peel away, revealing complexity and grandeur. A child marvels at a butterfly as if it were born from magic; over time, through repetition, such marvels become simply background to daily living. The real loss here is not the change in the world but the change in ourselves, a dulling of wonder.

The phrase also invites mindfulness and gratitude. Recognizing the extraordinary within the everyday encourages a deep appreciation for existence itself. The warmth of sunlight, the dance of rain on windows, or the laughter between friends, these are all profound experiences that might as well be miracles because of their unlikely confluence and the meaning they bring. To regain a sense of the miraculous in what we take for granted is not naïveté, but wisdom.

Andersen’s perspective implies that living fully involves rediscovering what familiarity has hidden. Reawakening our sense of astonishment transforms routine into revelation. The ability to perceive miracles in ordinary things is a quiet, constant path to joy, and a form of reverence for life itself.