How often do you experience something awe-inspiring?
Cambridge Dictionary defines awe-inspiring as “causing you to feel great respect or admiration”.
When was the last time you admired something? Marvelled at some great wonder or truth? Respected the vastness of life and God’s creations?
Last year, I embarked on several 30 day challenges, one of which was to “seek daily awe”. I’m not sure I fully understood at the time what awe meant or felt like or how I could experience it for myself every single day. So after a few days of incompletion, I quickly surrendered and gave up the challenge in favor of an easier more accessible task. I thought I had to be out canvassing the globe and viewing the Seven Wonders of the World to experience this so-called awe. Obviously, that’s not what my daily life looks like. I work a full time job and then come home to perform menial tasks like laundry and meal planning. Where was I supposed to find something to admire on a daily basis?
Well a few nights ago I was having trouble sleeping so I searched Youtube for some relaxing music to quiet my mind. I came across a video featuring whale sounds. I clicked it and listened. Now I’m not too fond of whales or many other undersea creatures. Whales are large and terrifying. But when I focused intently on the sounds they were making I felt it. Awe. There it was, the feeling creeping into my being.
Awe. To admire. To marvel. To effect wonder. How are these giant creatures capable of creating such serene majestic sounds? A sense of peace washed over me and I drifted off to sleepland, submerged in the notes of a whale lullaby.
You’re probably asking: Really? Whales? But yeah.
In that moment I understood awe could be manifested from anything. It wasn’t the high, uplifting euphoria I imagined it to be but a more subtle and settled contentment found in simplicity. For you it could be the gaze of your newborn child or the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the morning. Different things can fill a person with awe depending on what inspires you.
I’ve discovered what inspires daily awe for me and here’s what I’ve come up with:
Sunlight gleaming through the trees
The sensation of a cool breeze on my skin
The reflection of light on a body of water, the way it shines and sparkles
The out-of-body feeling I get when I write
Music that seeps inside my soul
cool waves crashing between my toes
Heartwarming kisses from my husband
Unexpected gifts from unexpected givers
Reflecting on the grace and mercy God has bestowed upon my life
I’ll continue adding to this list as I purposefully seek wonder and amazement each day. It’s easy to get sucked into the noisy humdrum of everyday life and forget to pay attention to the simple, beautiful things life has to offer. As novelist Anne Lamott says, “Pay attention to the beauty surrounding you.” It’s in these little moments that we get a glimpse of God at work in the universe.
I’ve found if I take a little time out of my busy day to notice these wanders I feel happier and more at peace with myself and the world around me. And that’s an awe-some feeling.
It’s in these little moments that we get a glimpse of God at work in the universe. -Icomeunraveled
Comments