What is a Wunderkind?

The word “wunderkind” is a German word that literally means “wonder child”, or prodigy. 

I have always been fascinated by the phenomenons of prodigies, young children who have an amazing talent. In fact, their talents can be better than the skills of professional adults’.

I admit, I have been so intrigued that I lose sight of who I am. I form an unhealthy jealousy towards them because I crave that attention. I am not a prodigy. I am simply a girl who does have her strengths, passions, and interests like every healthy human being, but I fall short of the line of perfection that I strive to measure up to.

Akiane Kramerik is a prodigy whose talent I coveted for a few years. She comes from a Lithuanian family who moved to the United States when she was a young girl. The beginning of her story is very interesting: Her family was atheist, but somehow Akiane received visions from God. She claims that Jesus taught her how to paint, so when she came home from heaven, she would paint these extraordinary pieces—her most famous being called Prince of Peace, completed at age 8. These paintings of heaven as well as her poetry and testimony eventually softened her parents’ hearts and they received Christ as their Savior. Kramerik’s story interestingly ties in with Colton Burpo’s, the boy who went to heaven during his operation due to appendicitis. He confirms that when he saw Jesus Christ, He looked exactly like the portrait Prince of Peace.

The topic of child geniuses raises a question in my mind: Are wunderkinds truly a rarity, a curiosity, someone to revere as extraordinary?

Albert Einstein once stated, “The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.” This means that one who stays with the “in” crowd and tries to fit in usually misses out on something they otherwise would discover. One who patiently builds his strengths, pursues his passions, and exercises his skills always reaps the benefits. He will find out what he has been working toward all his life. It may be having a family, becoming a journalist who travels the world, learning new languages, or even finding cures for diseases. If little things that one does to brighten another’s day is considered a miracle, are little accomplishments, or even a big accomplishment later in life, considered the act of a wunderkind?

I believe that those who value their lives, take childlike wonder in the world, and find miraculous discoveries, big or small, are wunderkinds. They enjoy life’s journey, enduring the hard times in order to come out strong.

C.S. Lewis, another beloved author of mine, wrote the amazing saga The Chronicles of Narnia. In the series, his protagonist for most of the books is a young girl, Lucy Pevensie. She has childlike innocence and wonder, and makes Narnia her home along with her three siblings. They reign over their newfound kingdom, granted by Aslan. Lucy Pevensie is a character I strongly connect with on an emotional level. She is brave and strong to stand up for her belief in Narnia to her unbelieving siblings at the beginning of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. She is gentle and kind, and her love for Aslan is unwavering. This is what makes her a wunderkind.

If this is true for Lucy, is it a stretch to say that those who try to explore God’s creation with a holy curiosity are wunderkinds? Perhaps there are other ways to apply this word to different concepts of use. The most common application referring to children with remarkable talents, and the least common application referring to childlike wonder. I believe this is not a stretch at all. Those with childlike (not childish) wonder are, indeed, wunderkinds.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein

We all have our purposes in this life. Let us enjoy this journey, embracing our talents and sharpening our abilities in order to embark on this quest of discovering how to complete our mission. Beware of losing sight of who you are when admiring the talents of others. If you don’t catch yourself, you will make wrong turns on the path that you started on.

Sincerely,

Glenna Duncan