Self-Directed Awe

It takes practice to appreciate oneself, but developing this skill is important for building resilience. Saint Augustine once shared thoughts on this: "People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering." We find it easy to experience awe when we look at nature. We see the size of mountains around us, noticing the layers of sediment showing the millennia it has been here. Rivers astound us as we recognize the persistence of its moving waters, seeing how it has shaped the very earth in front of us. It is easy to recognize the power of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, and to see both the devastation and the new life that destruction has since brought. Nature blows us away with its stories. If you pause long enough to consider it, you also hold such stories. Within each person I meet, there are heights they achieve that seem impossible to me, stories of transformation, aspects of their character that have been shaped over time, and a power within them with every action they take. Yet, they rarely see it. If they could only see themselves as a force of nature, full of inspiration and strength, they’d be able to more fully honor that journey they are on. They could finally see themselves and their hardships with the same eyes that marvel at mountains, oceans, and the stars.

"People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering."

~ Saint Augustine