A 3-Minute Reflection On Creating Wonder
A week or two ago, I wrote a poem about wonder, and since then, I’ve been reflecting upon creating wonder. Yep. Wonder is all around us all the time, yet we don’t always see it. Hm. Why would that be, I wonder? Pun intended.
Alright, so let’s take a quick look at wonder, shall we? Good. Let’s go.
Though we can all probably agree on what wonder is, let’s define it real quick. Here we go.
wonder
Pronunciation /ˈwəndər/
Translate wonder into Spanish
NOUN
A feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.
Lexico
There we go. That’s pretty straightforward. Yes? Yep.
Now, if we take all that we know, and then think about all that is knowable, I mean, really knowable, which is quite vast, we should often get a sense of surprise and admiration. Yep. Why?
Because there is so much around us to learn about, from people, yes, of course, and from just wondering about that which we see. Really.
The sky at night with the prolific array of stars and galaxies.
The sky during the day, with the majestical and seemingly dancing clouds overhead.
A forest, with trees dripping with water and covered in moss, a floor alive with movement and life. Phew. So much around us.
The issue? Well, quite simply, we have become habituated to doing, instead of being. A paradox? Yep, of course. Why?
Because the natural questions here is, what is the difference between doing and being? Yep. And?
Well, they look exactly the same. Yet, they are different. Hence the paradox.
When we are doing, and doing only, we are focused on the action at hand, and believe that we alone are responsible for that action and the related result.
When we are being, we are still doing, yet we are doing so, no pun intended that time, from a different state.
A state that impels us to an understanding that we are actors in a play, or drama, called life. And, that there is something going on here that is much larger than ourselves, which includes and connects each and everyone us us.
Yep. That’s pretty much it.
In this state, there is still a focus on doing, yet the doing is part of that larger process. A process of life, yes, and of being. Beautiful.
As for creating wonder?
Well, it is really about being present to that larger process. Moving ourselves from the micro-level, if you will, to the macro-level.
Meaning, recognizing ourselves within the context of that larger process, and connection with everyone and everything.
When we are present to the larger process, called life, we become more aware of the beauty and wonder in all things and in each other.
And, being present?
Well, that does take practice. As I’ve written about in many other posts, meditation has been transformational for me in many areas, presence being one of them.
However, you don’t necessarily need to take up a meditation practice to practice being present.
You can simply take a walk by yourself, and notice. Notice all that is around you. Watch as the leaves fall from the tree, as the clouds move across the sky, as people move from here to there, and notice the beauty and wonder in all of it.
It is quite majestical, and wonderous. Just like you are.
Develop. Inspire. Transform. 