The Loss of Wonder

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!

Under New Skies

Four months ago, on a pleasant day, I walked out of the tiny plane and walked the tarmac of Maseru's King Moshoeshoe Airport. I looked up. Brilliant blue skies with sunlight pouring down and filling up the vast open spaces. A few huge blobs of white resting against the blue, like elephants in impassive siesta. But, ah that sunlight! It was undeterred!

The skies over Africa continue to fascinate me. In my travels to Johannesburg and Pretoria and Kruger and Clarens (not to mention the aborted visit to Durban, given up at the railway crossing near Winterton after a car rammed mine from the rear!)

To revert to the blue skies and my first day. The picture here is not taken that day; I clicked it a few days later I visited Ladybrand, a quaint little town in South Africa. As we sat awaiting delicious pizzas in Little Italy, the skies caught my attention.

As they do every day.


I am leading a new life under these blue African skies, a life that is riding a rhythm different from any I had so far in 51 years of my life. I seem to have got off the roller-coaster and am getting a view. I am looking at Time with new eyes.

This blog is about the slice of my life at Lesotho.