Wonder
When was the last time you feel wonder? Not just a moment where you see something nice and said "awh, that's nice". Or when you hear something good and think to yourself "woa, that's cool".
One of those moments when something enters your sensory input channels and processing that input overwhelms you in equal measure of euphoria and confusion. Something makes you wonder so much that you are not sure how it comes to be, but yet happy that it exists. Something that makes you realize in the back of your mind that something exist just beyond your spectrum of appreciation.
In this world of rapid news and mixed messages, it can be difficult to maintain that sense of wonder. As I gain years in my life, things around me tend to suppress that sense of wonder. Often when that sense of dread comes in from realizing that there are horrible things circulating around the world. All the evil deeds and intentions that we read so often in the news. The lies, accusations, and sometimes harsh truth spread around and exposed so easily in the various media now available to invade our senses.
I admit, it is hard to express amazement with anything these days. If someone can do something, someone else somewhere else in the globe can do it better. If something exists in one place, that other thing that exist nearer to me is better than that and deserves more exposure. As equally as it is difficult to show consternation. If something horrible happened in the world, surely something else even more horrifying occurs someplace else and definitely needs more wishes and help.
Can I not just be understood for appreciating one thing, for I never intend to decrease another's value. Can I not just express sympathy for one horror, for I never intend to downplay another's plight. Can I not be happy and sad for the world at the same time? Is it that difficult to believe that I am equally moved in breathtaking views of the ocean near me as that mountains over there. Is it impossible that I am equally troubled by loss of life in one earthquake as I am aghast by those lost in war.
My sincere hope is that this does not make you muted. For the safe spectrum of expression in today's world is only near that common threshold. My sincere hope is that you still have a sense of wonder.
I, for example, have a new sense of wonder almost everyday:
Wonder in the fact that our lives require thousands of smaller-than-we-can-see molecules to interact with each other at just the right way.
Wonder that our planet has existed way before we exist and will probably exist way longer after us exist, in whatever condition it may be.
Wonder that we are made of other living things, and that if they do not work together, they cannot be categorized as alive anymore.
Wonder that there are so many other things out there that we do not know, and yet we have discovered so many things together to move forward to improve our lives.
Wonder, or...horrified, that somehow we keep finding ways to equally create new things and destroy other things in this world.
My sincere hope is that one day, we can appropriately express wonder without persecution of being ignorant.
My sincere hope is that one day, we can appropriately express dread without persecution of being ignorant.
Having said that... I am sure that "appropriate"ness of such an expression is something of a long discussion that I think require a very, very, long time.
But then again, here and now I can only say that my expression of wonder is never intended to downplay anything else in this world. It is just that sometimes... I am amazed something exists in this world. And I hope you can be too.
One of those moments when something enters your sensory input channels and processing that input overwhelms you in equal measure of euphoria and confusion. Something makes you wonder so much that you are not sure how it comes to be, but yet happy that it exists. Something that makes you realize in the back of your mind that something exist just beyond your spectrum of appreciation.
In this world of rapid news and mixed messages, it can be difficult to maintain that sense of wonder. As I gain years in my life, things around me tend to suppress that sense of wonder. Often when that sense of dread comes in from realizing that there are horrible things circulating around the world. All the evil deeds and intentions that we read so often in the news. The lies, accusations, and sometimes harsh truth spread around and exposed so easily in the various media now available to invade our senses.
I admit, it is hard to express amazement with anything these days. If someone can do something, someone else somewhere else in the globe can do it better. If something exists in one place, that other thing that exist nearer to me is better than that and deserves more exposure. As equally as it is difficult to show consternation. If something horrible happened in the world, surely something else even more horrifying occurs someplace else and definitely needs more wishes and help.
Can I not just be understood for appreciating one thing, for I never intend to decrease another's value. Can I not just express sympathy for one horror, for I never intend to downplay another's plight. Can I not be happy and sad for the world at the same time? Is it that difficult to believe that I am equally moved in breathtaking views of the ocean near me as that mountains over there. Is it impossible that I am equally troubled by loss of life in one earthquake as I am aghast by those lost in war.
My sincere hope is that this does not make you muted. For the safe spectrum of expression in today's world is only near that common threshold. My sincere hope is that you still have a sense of wonder.
I, for example, have a new sense of wonder almost everyday:
Wonder in the fact that our lives require thousands of smaller-than-we-can-see molecules to interact with each other at just the right way.
Wonder that our planet has existed way before we exist and will probably exist way longer after us exist, in whatever condition it may be.
Wonder that we are made of other living things, and that if they do not work together, they cannot be categorized as alive anymore.
Wonder that there are so many other things out there that we do not know, and yet we have discovered so many things together to move forward to improve our lives.
Wonder, or...horrified, that somehow we keep finding ways to equally create new things and destroy other things in this world.
My sincere hope is that one day, we can appropriately express wonder without persecution of being ignorant.
My sincere hope is that one day, we can appropriately express dread without persecution of being ignorant.
Having said that... I am sure that "appropriate"ness of such an expression is something of a long discussion that I think require a very, very, long time.
But then again, here and now I can only say that my expression of wonder is never intended to downplay anything else in this world. It is just that sometimes... I am amazed something exists in this world. And I hope you can be too.
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