Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

Voltaire, the 18th-century French writer and philosopher, was one of the leading voices of the Enlightenment — a fierce advocate for reason, tolerance, and human progress. Beneath his wit and sharp criticism, however, lay a deep understanding of gratitude and the shared nature of excellence.

In this line, Voltaire reminds us that appreciation is not passive; it’s participatory. When we sincerely admire what is good in others, we expand our own capacity for goodness. Recognition becomes a bridge — transforming envy into inspiration and separation into kinship. What we honor in others reflects what we are capable of cultivating ourselves.

When journaling, reflect on someone whose character, talent, or kindness stirs genuine admiration. Instead of comparison, what if you treated that feeling as an invitation — a sign of what you value and can develop? Appreciation, as Voltaire saw it, is a form of quiet alchemy: by recognizing beauty, we make a part of it our own.