There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being

Hear the tender and radiant words of Charles Morgan, the English novelist and philosopher of the soul, who wrote: “There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved: It is God’s finger on man’s shoulder.” In this luminous phrase, he speaks not merely of romance, but of something far deeper—the divine mystery of being seen, cherished, and chosen. To be loved, truly loved, is to feel the nearness of heaven; it is to sense that one’s existence, fragile and uncertain, has meaning in the eyes of another. Morgan’s words capture the sacred instant when love enters unexpectedly, breaking through loneliness like dawn after endless night, and the human heart awakens to the whisper of the divine.

The origin of this quote lies in Morgan’s reflections on art, faith, and the human condition—his lifelong meditation on the connection between earthly experience and spiritual truth. A man of letters in the early twentieth century, he lived through the turmoil of war and the disillusionment that followed. In such a time, when men doubted both God and goodness, Morgan looked to love as the remaining miracle, the last proof of divinity still alive in the world. When he spoke of God’s finger on man’s shoulder, he meant that every act of genuine love—unexpected, unearned, unexplainable—is a reminder that God has not turned His face from mankind. Love is His touch made visible, His silent reassurance that we are not forgotten.

To be surprised by love is one of the oldest and holiest experiences of humankind. It is the moment when the heart, long resigned to solitude or cynicism, suddenly feels itself warmed by the care of another. Such love is not demanded; it is given freely, as grace. And because it cannot be earned or predicted, it arrives as a miracle—a divine interruption in the ordinary flow of life. The ancients might have called it an epiphany, a moment when the gods make themselves known through human tenderness. Morgan, in his Christian imagery, called it “God’s finger,” for he knew that no human affection, however sincere, can awaken such wonder unless it carries within it a spark of divine origin.

Consider, for example, the story of Victor Hugo’s Jean Valjean—a hardened man, crushed by years of injustice, who steals silver from a bishop. When he is caught, the bishop does not condemn him, but instead declares that the silver was a gift, and adds, “You forgot these candlesticks.” That act of love—utterly undeserved, unlooked for—transforms Valjean’s soul. It is the surprise of being loved, the sudden realization that grace is stronger than judgment. In that instant, he feels, as Morgan describes, God’s finger upon his shoulder, pointing him toward redemption. The love of one man became the reflection of God’s own mercy, and from it sprang a lifetime of goodness.

This is the power of unexpected love: it awakens what is divine within us. When we are loved, we learn again that life is not random, that our existence matters. When we love, we become the hand of God to another. Love, in its truest form, is never merely human—it is divinity working through humanity, the eternal touching the temporal. It humbles and exalts us at once, for it reveals both our need and our worth. This is why Morgan calls it magical—not because it is fantasy, but because it is mystery. It defies logic, yet transforms reality.

And so, his words also carry a lesson for those who have grown weary or cynical. In a world that teaches us to guard our hearts and measure affection, Charles Morgan reminds us that to give or receive love is to open oneself to God’s touch. The heart that loves without fear becomes a vessel of the divine; the heart that receives love with gratitude becomes the soil where grace takes root. To withhold love out of pride or fear is to turn away from that sacred presence that would heal us.

Therefore, let this teaching be passed down: do not be afraid to love, nor to be loved. When love surprises you, receive it as you would a visitation from heaven. When life gives you the chance to love another—be it friend, stranger, or foe—do so with open hands, for you may be carrying the touch of God to their soul. Seek not to control or understand love, for its purpose is not mastery but revelation. It shows us that we are not alone, that divinity moves among us still.

And so, O seeker of truth, remember: every moment of love—be it tender or fierce, fleeting or eternal—is a sign of the divine presence that lives in all things. When someone looks upon you with compassion, when forgiveness finds you unworthy, when affection comes where you least expect it—pause, and feel the unseen hand upon your shoulder. That touch is not chance, but grace. For truly, as Charles Morgan wrote, there is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved—for in that moment, you have brushed against eternity.