Michigan’s coastline consists of one state park after another. Last weekend I visited Ludington State Park and enjoyed the many vistas it offers: dunes covered with grass, forest pathways, lakes great and small, and long, unspoiled beaches.
Be it the sound of crashing waves, gazing at the stars, or beholding a pinecone, the Awe experience gives me perspective. Significance shifts away from the important matters occupying my mind to the grandeur of nature, the timeless reach of space, and the endless cycles of generations.
In these moments, meaning comes not from my contribution but from my participation. It’s not so much “seize the day” as it is “occupy life.”
This, in part, is why forgiveness fascinates me so much. A seemingly simple shift in perspective transforms the soul – replacing revenge with reconciliation or bitterness with inner peace. So many inspiring stories attest to this, motivating me (and so many others) to move out of our mired stuck and into new possibilities.
There are many paths to forgiveness. Each names this transformational shift where the one hurt moves out of the center into a larger relational context, reconnecting us with others, with the larger world, and with our inner self. It occurs in its own time. To endure it can be awe-ful. To come through it is awesome.
And it’s the awe that enlivens me and fuels my moving on.
Awe reminds. Awe inspires. Awe motivates. And it’s always available.
Quote
Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world. John Milton
Web
Recent studies at the University of California suggest that experiencing awe can help us act more kindly to others (read article)
In these moments, meaning comes not from my contribution but from my participation. It’s not so much “seize the day” as it is “occupy life.”
This, in part, is why forgiveness fascinates me so much. A seemingly simple shift in perspective transforms the soul – replacing revenge with reconciliation or bitterness with inner peace. So many inspiring stories attest to this, motivating me (and so many others) to move out of our mired stuck and into new possibilities.
There are many paths to forgiveness. Each names this transformational shift where the one hurt moves out of the center into a larger relational context, reconnecting us with others, with the larger world, and with our inner self. It occurs in its own time. To endure it can be awe-ful. To come through it is awesome.
And it’s the awe that enlivens me and fuels my moving on.
Awe reminds. Awe inspires. Awe motivates. And it’s always available.
Quote
Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world. John Milton
Web
Recent studies at the University of California suggest that experiencing awe can help us act more kindly to others (read article)
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