We are born with a sense of 'wonder'; we know that. We are innately curious. New things interest us, the routine draws boredom and yawns from us. Yet, riding the roller coaster of life, we lose that sense of wonder. The edges of curiosity are blunted by distraction and work.
This sense of 'wonder' is not just a gentle wave inside our minds; it is a physical thing. When I first came to Africa, looking up at the blue African skies thrilled me in ways very few other sights had done. The vast still expanse of blue looked like an ocean turned upside down, the still clouds its white snow-covered peaks and islands jutting upwards. The high it gave me was a physical thing and if I focused even briefly, I could sense the part of me that tingled the most!
A few weeks ago, I noticed that the wonder was gone. How did that come about? Were the winter skies any less bright and beautiful? Maybe. Or was it that immersed in my routine, I had stopped looking up? I did not like the feeling. The loss of wonder is not acceptable to me because that is me. Fortunately, it is reversible with awareness and stillness of mind.
It is back. The blue African skies are luminescent again!
