Awe, Wonder and Gratitude

One of the things we have learned over the years at the Genuine Faux Farm is that there is so much out there to inspire awe and wonder in a person.  The other thing we've learned?  It is so easy to get tunnel vision as we do our work that we forget to take the time to observe all of the wondrous things that we have the opportunity to encounter each and every day.

I took this photo in 2010, which was a year when the rain never seemed to quit.  Tammy and I were about as down as we could be at that point and we were moments away from calling the grand experiment that was our farm a failure.

Then I took the time to look up.  And I saw this sunset.  And I felt awe and an overwhelming sense of wonder.

Soon thereafter we went through the process of hosting a scheduled field day to build our first high tunnel (Eden).  And, not long after that we purchased our first tractor (Durnik).  The experiment was not over - it was just undergoing a transformation.  

To say that a single sunset changed our minds would be inaccurate and makes the whole thing sound trivial.  What did happen was that we started looking outside of ourselves and our current circumstance in part because we were willing to recognize awe-inspiring things.  The wonder we felt as we looked at sunsets or Gloriosa Daisies encouraged us to see reasons to be thankful.  It helped us to realize that while things were very difficult, we had the power to make choices and transform.

It's amazing how attitude can change how you see things.  And it is amazing how a little bit of awe, a little bit of wonder, and good dose of gratitude can improve that attitude.

A recent broadcast on All Things Considered (NPR) focused on the benefits of recognizing and seeking out awe.  Piercarlo Valdesolo, a researcher who has studied this emotion, is quoted in the transcript:

"You see something that you perhaps haven't noticed before, and you realize there's a lot more to it than you previously had thought. It's almost like you're peering into a world that you hadn't seen before. Something is opening up to you.  You become more concerned about the collective. You become more generous. You help more - more cooperative. You kind of get out of your own head, to put it simply."

This is a theme I've written about on and off since this blog started - even if I don't always identify that I am doing so specifically.  Even this super-short 2009 post hints at the wonder I felt regarding the large flocks of blackbirds that gather every fall.

Sometimes Tammy and I talk about balance in our lives and I think some of that balance is more easily achieved when we make it a habit to seek out opportunities to feel awe.

Often the two of us look to nature to provide us with something that inspires us and fills us with wonder.  Sometimes the subject is something big... like Waimea Canyon.  And other times it is just the moss on the bark of a tree.

While nature is full of awesome things, we don't limit ourselves to just that.  

A well-written story, a beautiful painting, and music of all sorts can make us feel awe and wonder.  Along with it comes gratitude that the individual(s) who created these pieces of art worked hard to do so and then actually shared their efforts with the rest of us.

I took a few moments this past November and attended a webinar hosted by Iowa Learning Farms.  This one was titled Can Moments of Awe and Gratitude Improve the Environment? by anthropologist Jacqueline Comito.  I took a screen shot of some of the slides from her presentation that helped me to put some new words to some of the things I was thinking and feeling.

The biggest thing I took away from this particular webinar was the call for people to be intentional in their efforts to seek out opportunities to feel awe.  And, not only that, Comito also pointed out that we should ALSO be intentional with our efforts to feel gratitude.

Of course, awe, wonder and gratitude are things I have long felt were important parts of my life.  I do feel better and do better when I make the effort to pursue these things.  But, it is also true that they do not banish depression, fear, anger or sadness - but they can help a person deal with them.

We experienced a moment of awe (or wonder) that was deeply tinged with sadness and worry recently.  Hobnob, one of our Household Supervisors, has been dealing with kitty diabetes and we woke up one morning to find her in very bad shape.  After a call to the vet, we thought we might have dealt with it..... until later that day.

A rushed trip to the vet with a cat who had a seizure and was unconscious at arrival followed and we watched helplessly while they tried to get a blood sample to find out if the sugars were too low or too high.  A decision was made to put in an IV once it was determined that her sugars were too low...

and an amazing thing happened almost immediately.

Hobnob's eyes opened and she saw her humans.  She recognized us and she purred, moving her paws in a kneading motion she often uses to show happiness. I'm not sure what we did to deserve that look, but it was a gift.

At this moment, we still do not know if she will recover fully from this episode.  While I felt awe, wonder and gratitude when her eyes recognized us, that moment is tinged with sadness - as it should be.  And, whether our feline friend should recover or not, we will be richer for that moment in time.  Just as we are richer each time we 

• take the time to watch the cloud formations float by
• observe a butterfly as it slowly opens and closes its wings
• see an Olympian perform their very best, whether they win gold or finish behind everyone else
• are amazed by the kindness and friendship offered by others in our lives
• listen to the gurgling of a trout stream and feel the cool air coming off of the water
  
• stand amazed in front of a painting that looks like you could walk right into the scene that is depicted there
• find ourselves humming to a song performed by talented artists
• are captivated by eyes that tell you that you are loved
  

Have a good remainder of your day and I hope you take the opportunity to seek out awe and wonder in your life and reflect on the feelings of gratitude that follow.