Today’s guest blogger is Monica Parker – actress, writer, producer and author of OMG! How Children See God. In her last guest post, Monica shared tips for raising a child with a sense of wonder. That got me thinking – how can all of us, regardless of age, be more aware of wonder?
I asked Monica to weigh in with her thoughts. Here are her five tips for seeking out wonder:
There is so much wonder in the world. The more we shine a light on all that is good and miraculous, the less the darkness can take hold.
After all, there is beauty all around us. It’s in the laughter of children, in the delightful silliness of kittens or puppies at play. Sometimes it’s in the genius of a remarkably engineered drawbridge. Or a bend in the road, a canopy of trees, that first unsullied snowfall, the smell of a freshly baked apple pie. A familiar door slam and standing there is your adult child, come home to visit. There are 365 days of sunrises and sunsets to fill our souls and each one is majestic and unique.
Wonder can be found everywhere, if only we choose to look. Here are some tips for seeking it out:
1. Surround yourself with positivity. Spend time with people who love to laugh, even at themselves.
2. Walk the world with an open heart and arms outstretched ready to receive love and light. Look for the good in people, not the bad.
3. Enter a forest or a park at sunrise or sunset and just look at the light, take pleasure in the shade, listen to the bird songs and to all the forest creatures. Perhaps there will a babbling brook to add to nature’s symphony. You will feel whole and healed.
4. Take a walk with a loved one or friend in the heaviest of rainstorms – with or without an umbrella! It has its own euphoric pleasure. Stop in café, shake off the rain and luxuriate in becoming dry and warm again. Have a cup of hot chocolate and share a long, uninterrupted conversation.
5. Find a quiet place with a beautiful view. Sit a spell. Don’t speak. Try not to think. Just immerse yourself in the moment and all the gifts that nature keeps on giving. Keep your heart grateful.
Life is for living, but how we live it is really our choice. Choose to make it wonder-full!
