To wonder is to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe. When was the last time you experienced wonder? Have you recently been curiously mystified or pondered the unknown without feeling compelled to find the answer, figure out the solution, or check with Google? We live in such a fact-oriented results-driven culture that sometimes we deprive ourselves of the sensation of being astonished.
Before we had science to explain the rise of the sun, the movement of the tides, and the miracle of birth, we had mythic stories and fabled legends to offer explanations to the questions, “Why are we here?” “How are we connected?” and “To whom are we accountable?” These sacred speculations satisfied our curiosity by igniting our imagination and linking us to realms that did not require physical proof. But now we are smarter, more informed, and better equipped to master our surroundings and influence our destiny. We understand about planetary rotations, reproductive processes, and the scientific relationship between cause and effect. Where can we find something to contemplate that exists beyond intellectual comprehension? One answer, is the mirror.
Do you ever sit back in wonder about who you are? Do you marvel at the impact you have had on others? Do you pause to take stock of what you have accomplished in your life…what you have created…what you have overcome? Do you ever wonder what forces have been pushing you from behind or compelling you forward? Do you wonder about coincidences and synchronicities that happen in your life? Do you ever experience magic or miracles?
Many of us do not take time to wonder because it seems futile to ponder questions for which there are no concrete answers. Yet, there is a gift in not knowing . . . in appreciating what is, and welcoming whatever is next. In the world of business, it is advantageous to be a subject matter expert, however, adopting a beginner’s mind can take the burden of being the informed expert off your shoulders and plants the seed of curious novice in your heart.
There are some people who will read this and feel that such a perspective is “woo-woo” and immaterial. I wonder what possibilities they might miss?
Wishing you great wonder,
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein
Below are 5 reflections to help you wonder about wonder:
- How did your sense of wonder show up as when you were a kid?
- How does your sense of wonder show up now?
- What does it feel like to come from wonder and awe? What is possible from this perspective?
- How do you create and share wonder with others?
- Imagine… you discover a creature whose name is Wonder. Describe him/her/it, where you met, how you felt & what you learned. If you’re really feeling “woo-woo,” write out a dialogue between you and Wonder. What advice does it have for you?