Finding Awe
A poem, some musings, and recommendations for “awe”some gifts.
What Is Awe?
“Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky or marveling at the birth of a child. When people feel awe, they may use other words to describe the experience, such as wonder, amazement, surprise, or transcendence.” source: Berkley’s Greater Good Magazine
Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world ~ Dacher Keltner
I’ve been thinking a lot about “awe” the past few weeks. Thankfully, awe is something that exists in my daily life, but as I skitter around from task to task I don’t offer it the reverence and deep gratitude that it deserves. But, as the adage goes “where we put our attention becomes our reality,” the more I’ve been thinking about it, the more it shows up.
Just yesterday, as I was sitting in a line of SUVs dropping off kids at Jackson Hole High School, I looked up and saw this incredible “sundog” over the school, created by the rising sun and frozen ice crystals from the early morning fog that was just lifting out of the valley. I was saddened that none of the hooded teenagers staring at the ground with slumped shoulders walking into school nor any of their parents sneaking glances at their iPhones seemed to notice.
As it turns out, the science of “awe” or “experiencing wonder” and the lack of awe in our modern lives is a trendy subject these days. You know it’s trendy when an entire Outside Magazine is dedicated to it (July/Aug 2023). If you have an Outside Online account, you can read the various articles here.
But it’s not just the outdoors and nature that is a source of awe, it can be art or music or love or an amazing video game or movie or even your own accomplishments.
“Awe” caught my attention at my local library when, in an “awesome” coincidence, two books called to me.
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May
While Keltner’s book is classic literary non-fiction with great storytelling interspersed with science facts and methodology, May’s book is equally inspiring but is written in the style of lyrical, mystical personal essays inspired by isolation during the pandemic.
If you are looking for a gift for yourself or someone you know needs more awe in their life (who doesn’t?), I can highly recommend either. Both are a shining light in these dark times.
I wrote this poem last week. One of my hardest challenges is getting over the stigma of poetry having to be intellectual or follow some rules, rather than just letting go of perfection by penning of liminal ideas that might heal our disconnection with ourselves, other humans, and all the beings on this planet we collectively call “home.”
Home
If your life scares you,
you are living well.
If you are totally content,
you are no longer paying attention.
If your heart aches for change,
follow it.
If you came across a giant tree you never noticed in the walk done so many times and one of your girlfriends hugged it while two others pondered over what kind it was and couldn’t agree so one went home to research the bark pattern and texted photos confirming it was an ancient Engelmann Spruce,
you are thriving.
If you are feeling oddly light and liberated by the passing of your father, but heavy and despondent at the loss of an acquaintance … a neighbor … a strong-headed young mother and her babies … at the hand of her husband whose gentle mind lost the war with his dark side,
you are justified.
If you find yourself staring in awe at the frosty November moon setting over the snow covered peaks and completely forget your longings for the past, fears of the present, and dreams for the future,
you are home. 
I am so deeply grateful for all of you, my readers and subscribers, whose support keeps me going. I wish you all a holiday season full of wonder, awe, enchantment and joy. In gratitude, Sue
Enjoyed the essay and the poem. What better way to remember and to feel that we are part of Something Greater than ourselves than to allow the awe. Thanks and happy holidays to all.
Another well written article of feelings and depth Sue. Thank you. While currently in Mexico, I found myself in awe of the pelicans and their feeding routines upon the surf. Beautiful. Determined. Patient. Always in search of the ocean dwellers.