What comes first, wonder or awe?

Now, that’s a question worth pondering.

Wondering Delight © Kathryn LeRoy

Hello friend,

I walked along the beach, sand tickling my toes, white-capped waves rolling in and slipping out, seagulls calling to me, to no one. I never can quite describe the salty, sandy, fishy, misty odor that shrouds my senses.

I wonder why my body succumbs to the rhythm and rushing, ebb and flow, as a lulling hum replaces the frenetic voices of the world with peace and awe for what lies beyond mere words.

Every excursion to the ocean, or in my case, the Gulf of Mexico, mingles awe and wonder, curing anything and everything weighing heavy on my mind and in my heart

Sand, Sun, Sky © Kathryn LeRoy

I know. That’s heavy stuff, but this week, the stark contrast between what I brought to the beach and the total release once my feet hit the water engulfed me with awe and wonder.

Which came first hardly matters as much as the feelings and emotions.

Dacher Keltner has spent years researching this topic and defines awe as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.”

On the other hand, Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “Awe is more than an emotion; it is a way of understanding, insight into a meaning greater than ourselves. The beginning of awe is wonder, and the beginning of wisdom is awe.”

What I do know is wonder and awe bring out the best in me. My wonder generates curiosity. Curiosity opens my eyes to ideas, people, nature, and the vast universe.

Whose feet? © Kathryn LeRoy

Without wonder, I might miss those moments that fill me with awe. In his book,  Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, Dacher Keltner shares the conclusions of his research on the power of awe.

How does awe transform us? By quieting the nagging, self-critical, overbearing, status-conscious voice of our self, or ego, and empowering us to collaborate, to open our minds to wonders, and to see the deep patterns of life.

Finding awe doesn’t require a trip to the beach or money. Material possessions never appear as a prerequisite for awe.

Not sure where to begin? Watch a child. Tap into your “childlike sense of wonder.”

Keltner discovered the most common sources of awe were “ other people’s courage, kindness, strength, or overcoming.”

I’m looking for awe this week. Will you join me?

Intricate Rigging of the Elissa © Kathryn LeRoy

Awe and wonder; wonder and awe — silent walks upon the sand.

If you want to know more, Dacher Keltner explains why awe is such an important emotion.

Songs to wonder: I Wonder by Abba, Wonder by Natalie Merchant, and quiet moments of wonder and awe.

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.”
― Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

Watchful Wonder © Kathryn LeRoy

If you would like to read more from me, visit my website. I’ll be there waiting for you.

With gratitude,

Kathryn

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