Power & Pursuit of Awe

Power and Pursuit of Awe 

Awe can be
inflated...

In our modern world, we're increasingly missing "awe."  With the advent of screens and all the multimedia in our world, we increasingly trade the things that were awe-inspiring for a copy of that on screen.  In a recent example, we had a circus come to town with all the spectacles and human feats that go with it.  When you think about the time and talent that go into being able to walk a tight rope or be shot out of a cannon, the result should be awe-inspiring.  At the circus, one of the people sitting beside us was engrossed in their phone...the rationale being that "they'd seen something similar online before."  Think about the height of the circus...before TV, social media, the internet, and so forth...I can't imagine how much "awe" those early spectators would have been witnessing.  There are all sorts of things that fit into that category.  We have awe all around us...if and when we look for it....again.    

...or in
crowds.

Recently, on a trip to Yellowstone, a family was standing at a famous vista, the parents were telling the kids to get off their phones and pay attention, the kid said, "I've seen a picture online."  Similarly, at Carlsbad Caverns, NM...keep in mind it's in the boonies and you didn't get there by accident...they are famous for a bazillion bats that fly out.  One family there saw the first few bats, then started to hit the road because they'd "checked the box."  Online and box checking are not where you find awe.  The good news is, you don't have to go to the ends of the earth or do something extreme in order to find and experience awe.  

...for sure in nature.

If you're blessed enough to have kids...take a walk around the block with them and "see" the world through their eyes...you'll find awe.  Get up and watch a sunrise or sunset...again, awe.  Go sit outside somewhere where it's dark and watch the stars...especially if you see a shooting star...it can bring awe.  Witness a big prairie thunderstorm...awe.  Turns out, when we pursue awe (much like most anything else), we tend to find it.  When we open our minds, eyes, hearts, and most likely our schedules, we can find awe in the most unexpected places.  While you can certainly find "awe" around the corner, our world is also jam-packed further away with awe-full places - nature spaces like National Parks, the ocean, even big cities and new cultures.  

And among the rocks.

As AI doubles down on "creating" things...we have to deliberately go to where THE Creator is more readily visible.  Think about the last time you weren't in sight of something that "man" did not create?  In our modern city/suburban lives, our "miracles" of running water, power, sanitation, and so forth become pretty "expected" instead of "impressed."  This frame of reference changes our perspective from gratitude to entitlement.  When was the last time that something took your breath away?  Getting out into nature...more than the city park, but not necessarily way more than the local "state park" can help you reset.  Chances are, a little time in nature helps us reset or recalibrate our "awe antenna" away from the constant "one-up" and "bigger" that the internet is full of.  

Or near the sea.

One "habit" that makes awe easier to find is the seeking out of novel experiences.  A few that stand out were the first time trips to New York City, where everything is bigger than life, the Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, and the Redwoods out west. Those bigger-than-life experiences and sites can be powerful and memorable.  We often get stuck in our habitual ruts, and seeing that something is bigger than ourselves, sometimes far bigger than ourselves, is inherently full of awe.  Recently we went to a history museum and when you realize how long some of our ancestors have been around...and what they had to endure, right sizes our current struggles and puts them into perspective.  We can reflect on the "awe" of how resilient our forefathers were, and how truly blessed we are in modern society.  

We can ignite it.

As we talk about "awe," the "power of awe" is something that is worth mentioning.  When we look at life with an "awe-full" eye or paradigm, I believe it can help us find contentment and embrace the concept of "enough."  It has been said that wealth can be defined as "wanting what I have."  Historically, our "catalog" of desire was pretty restricted to our immediate community...today, it's everything under the sun.  We can find "awe" in other people's experiences and toys.  When we covet or find awe in other people's stuff, it cheapens and reduces our enjoyment of our own circumstances.  If, instead, we seek and find awe in our own...car, adventures, job, kids, spouse, life...we're content, whole, and invigorated.  

Tomorrow is a new
day...put awe into it!

Wrapping up for the week...awe is all around us...we just have to be still and listen to the "still small voice" and seek out "the good and the beautiful" in our world around us.  In doing so, through a combination of less screens and more nature/novel, we can begin to create habits, hobbies, and an overall lifestyle where awe becomes increasingly baked in.  In doing so, you'll find an increased contentment and appreciation of our Creator's creations in and around us and our families.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out three things (novel experiences or places) that you're going to go find the awe that lives there with your family this week.  Immerse yourself in it...not screens...and the reflect on it as a family.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in your daily/weekly/monthly/seasonal pursuit of "awe."  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- The Power of Awe by Dr. Michael Amster and Jake Eagle

- “Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.” - Dacher Keltner, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder

- "The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself."  Henry Miller