The Wonder Of Wonder

How much I choose not to notice the amazing world through which I travel each day! How often I choose not to fully experience the wonder of life.

I want to manifest wonder in two senses of the word- as in awe (noun) and to have curiosity about (verb).

To be alive is a wonder! That we can eat and breathe and excrete and move and reason and choose...wondrous. And yet we take it all so much for granted. To focus, even for a moment, on something so simple and miraculous as our breathing is to touch the wonder of our existence. To pause, even for the briefest of time, and consciously sense the world, is to open to the incredible magic that surrounds us every day, every moment.

To have curiosity is to invite a greater understanding of what surrounds us and to open to the sense of awe at our life and our world. This can be a simple as saying to someone, "I wonder what that's like," or as complex as undertaking a determined study of a subject of interest. I find I can touch wonder quite easily when I just simply listen to others. Really listen, not just hear. Allow others the space to express their knowledge, understanding and experiences. Someone recently told me a great reminder for this. It is to remember the word 'WAIT' when talking to others- an acronym for Why Am I Talking. A reminder to simply listen. And further, to elicit other people's take on life and living.

I wish to add more wonder to my life by recognizing the wondrous life I live and the opportunities I have to feel and acknowledge the wonder inherent in that life. And all I have to do is remember to open myself. Wonder opens me to such richness and all I have to do is remember to say YES!

Alone But Not Lonely

I have a strange feeling of shame when I tell people I need to be alone. Like they're going to judge me as being unconnected to others, or that I'm anti-social or something.

The thing is, I need time alone. Some of my richest moments are spent with myself. It gives me space to recharge, to process events, to calmly go within and remember my purpose, and to revisit my centre where I know absolutely who I am and why I'm here. The busy-ness, demands, and distractions of living sometimes take me from these things and I value the reminding. It helps me be the best person I can be.

And still...it's hard to say, "Sorry, but no, I need to be alone today." Strange how I've learned to feel awkward about doing something that is so life-enriching. And that sometimes I choose to be with others while avoiding what I need the most right then.

Note to self: being alone is definitely not about being lonely or anti-social, and spending time with myself is time well spent.