Awe Experiences
The Meaning of life
Awe is the meaning of life.
Awe.
That’s the whole point of being human.
Awe.
Consider this,
We live on this planet, experiencing. That’s our objective. Experience. Experience all of it. The highs, the lows, and the in-between stages. Boom. You’re doing it. Nice!
When someone experiences the most profound points of emotion, we call them awe experiences.
When you’re at the height of experiencing something pleasurable, one might say “that was awe-some!” Meaning it was pleasurable and understandable - you were at the crest of the wave! Congratulations! In that experience you got “some” awe.
When you’re at the depths of experiencing something displeasurable, one might say, “that was awe-ful!” Meaning it was displeasurable and potentially not understandable - you were at the trough of the wave! Congratulations! In that experience you were “full” of awe.
In both of those experiences, you were at the maximum profundity of the human experience! You were dialed up to 100 in one direction or the other. Its a beautiful thing.
To go a step further, awe is not only a word being used at the most profound level of experience. It also makes its way into our everyday life - the in-between stages of experience. This awe experience, concerns being engrossed for a moment in an activity. You may be surprised how often you say it.
Consider when you have been on your feet all day, walking around past the point of comfort and finally, FINALLY, you get a moment to sit down - what sound naturally escapes your chest? “awwweee” (you’re welcome to spell it ahhh) Boom. Engrossed in an activity. Even for a moment, yawning took over the brain for a second. You weren’t thinking of anything except being in that moment!
When we wake up in the morning and come back into awareness, one might yawn. “awwweeee” or when we’re going to sleep,
It happens all the time!
Consider:
a good stretch, “awe” or stubbing a toe “AWE!”
seeing an adorable puppy “Awe! Look how cute!”
dropping an ice cream cone “awe… I wanted that”
forgetting “it was.. awwwwee.. I forget”
having a “EURIKA” moment “Awe-ha! That’s the answer”
Think about this, each time you say awe, know that you’re doing exactly what you, as a human, are supposed to be doing. Having another “awe experience”.
The privilege and honor of being a human comes with a lot of experiences. Everyday mundane experiences, exciting unique experiences, terrible tragic experiences, euphoric diaphanous experiences. Being a human also comes with opportunities to experience some awe *awe-some*, to be full of awe *awe-ful*, and it comes with the little reminders throughout the everyday for awe in small moments for yourself.
Here are a few other fun examples of everyday awe.
a good massage
laughter
crying
being sore
being in pain
remembering “awe we should have brought sunscreen!”
a pause in a sentence “So I was, awe, telling Victor”
frustrated thinking “awwwee” *this one comes with a head scratch.
having that drink of water when thirsty
I’m sure you can find more ways that you say awe throughout the day. Post them in the comments!
With love,
Awe