Sense of Wonder, by Van Morrison, is one of my favorite songs. Many of the kids with whom I work have lost touch with their Sense of Wonder. This Wonder is iconic to childhood... and the very luckiest people manage to nurture it through adulthood.
Wonder is a thing that makes our chaotic lives easier... it is a magical concoction of hope and beauty that we cultivate for the parts of our lives that are unfamiliar or unexpected. In today's fast paced life, so many times The Unfamiliar or The Unexpected brings worry, dread, frustration or anger. A Sense of Wonder is the antidote to those ugly feelings.
It sounds childish, but the best parts of our life are often child-like.
The question becomes... how do we cultivate a Sense of Wonder? How do we make it grow? One of the cheapest, easiest and fastest ways is to go outside, without purpose. Rain or Shine Mamma, a Sweedish Mamma who believes in guiding kids toward a meaningful relationship with nature wrote a blog about it. She offers this:
When was the last time you or your child went outside to Just Be? When was the last time you stared into the starry sky? Are you due for a trip to the beach and some Vitamin Sea? Go. Put down the phones. Turn off the TV. Give your attention to the World that is living around you. Look for the hope and beauty in the unfamiliar. Grow your Sense of Wonder.