A New Science - The Study of Awe

Emotions can be good or bad, but one in particular has both. It’s the focus of a new science just 15 years old - the exploration into awe.

Scientists define an awesome event as one that is transcendent - one that takes ‘self’ out of the center of the universe, changes perceptions and makes us feel connected to aspects of life bigger than ourselves.

While reading about this new science, I made a list of awesome people, places and things I have witnessed. Some have universal aspects, some do not. (Isn’t it awesome that we humans are all unique)?

Here is a miniscule sampling of my list.

*Rainbows. My first sighting of a magnificent double one is still the brightest one I’ve ever seen. Seeing ‘the end’ of a rainbow close by with my young son was, well, you know. *Sunsets. Those colors and their vanishing act! *The moon. Infinite magical images. And we walked on it while I watched on TV. *Spring in Ripley County. I’m drawn to the kaleidoscope of colors provided by the daffodils, redbud and dogwood. *Current River. Here we know its tranquil beauty and its fierce destruction - an example of the dark side. Nature is a constant source of awe.

*The Grand Canyon. Seeing it took my breath away, and sleeping in a hotel room on the edge took my zzz’s away. Water did that. *Hoover Dam. The size and scope of its impact are both dizzying. Man did that. *Mont St. Michel. A childhood fantasy became reality as I stayed on the island and toured the mystical structure for two magnificent days. How did man do that…back in those days? *Notre Dame. (The Cathedral, not the team.) I couldn’t speak, I just cried. Still tear up remembering.

*Babies. Especially mine. How did he grow up so fast and learn all he knows how to do? “Musicians. Ripley County has famous ones and everyday ones. Attend an informal jam session and be bowled over by the who and the talent. *Marines. Especially mine. So much more than meets the eye. *Poets. Don’t let a redneck cover camouflage the depths of talent here in our midst.

There is this thing called word count, and I’m already over it. I could fill this issue with awe I have experienced. The list would be long, the stories fun, the connections and ramifications boggling. We refer to ‘God’s timing’ as life’s magnificent mystery unfolds, but God is always here. We have to show up with senses ready to take it all in.

The study of awe reveals we are more generous and kind after we experience it. “The more clearly we focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” Rachel Carson