An Invitation Into Wonder

“Wonder is involuntary praise.” English Poet, Edward Young, (1683-1765)

Reflection: Whether we reflect on it or not, we were all once children and creatures of great wonder. Yet, growing older has diminished our desire (and often our ability) to get in touch with that aspect of ourselves. Behind our disguise of “maturity” we’ve lost touch with wonder; the heartbeat of all faith. Wonder has become a commodity of our past, something to grow out of as opposed to grow into.

And, the truth is that wonder is still there, in all of us, under our façades of adulthood. Uncovering wonder is often a matter of going into those vast spaces of mystery, imagination and trust.

To wonder, we must let go of knowing. For to wonder is to be in awe, to unfold our defenses in order to be open, to allow the vast landscape before us to emerge, to remove ourselves and what we think we know – so that we might encounter…

“The modern mind has lost all capacity to wonder. It has lost all capacity to look into the mysterious, into the miraculous – because of knowledge, because it thinks it knows.” Indian Mystic, Osho, (1931-1990)

We think we know far more than we really do. Just the other day, my two year old nephew stopped me as we were walking to point out a flower – not just any flower, but one I hadn’t noticed before, one I’d failed to see, one I didn’t know existed, one I was previously too busy for.

How many flowers have I missed because of modern day life’s suggestions of what I should do or see? How many flowers, people, moments have I missed because an email was more important, a phone call stole my attention, or I was in a hurry to return to my work? As much as we all want to move past childhood – there remains a child in each of us that yearns to be uncovered so that we might get closer to the mystery, so that we might truly see.

How can I take time today to step into a space of childlike wonder and awe. Where are the busy moments that I can move away from in order to truly notice what I’ve left unseen?

“Maybe the burning bush was burning all the time and Moses didn’t notice. Maybe the miracle is when you stop and pay attention.” Francine Prose