proverb · Legacy record
The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth.
The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Ordinary walking on earth valued above flying or walking on water gives everyday life a wondrous role. The saying redirects attention from extraordinary feats to being present.
What the words are saying
Miracle is a spiritual or evaluative image rather than a verified supernatural event. A responsible interpretation values ordinary experience without ranking people by mobility or requiring a particular physical action. Everyday meaning can take many forms, and the anthology label does not independently establish authorship.
Everyday example
A reader appreciates a familiar moment without making bodily ability a condition of its value.
When to use it
Use it to explain the ordinary-and-extraordinary reversal with accessibility respected.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
No supernatural proof or human worth dependent on walking is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
China
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.- Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 277; PDF page 31; collection label: China
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- China