Awe

I was looking for something to watch last weekend and noticed the documentary, Antarctica: A Year on Ice, for free on various streaming services.[1]

I know I’ll never go there, and I doubt I could pass the physical to work there at my age, but I’m fascinated by Antarctica and love learning about it.

As you might imagine, the scenery was stunning, at least when the sun was in the sky, and the grandeur of the landscape was breathtaking, especially when showing people against the backdrop of endless ice and sky.

The people talked about the incredible silence there, and of the night sky without any light pollution. “It’s like you’ve never really seen the stars before.”

I don’t remember if they spoke of feeling awe, probably because I was so awestruck by the entire film I wasn’t always listening closely to the dialogue.

“I hope you appreciate how beautiful it is here”

It seems like being in the Antarctic would leave me in awe forever, but I know that we humans tend to get used to our surroundings quickly and can pass right by amazing sights without a thought.

A family friend visited from the Midwest last year and, as we were driving through Portland, she said, “I hope you appreciate how beautiful it is here.” She was surprised by how pretty the city is, especially in light of the frequent claims in the media that it’s a burned-out ruin,[2] and she commented on the beauty of Mount Hood, the Willamette River, and, after driving to the coast, the beaches and the ocean.

I grew up in Seattle and could see mountains from my street when I was a kid, and everywhere you go in Seattle you’re always around the corner from a view of Mount Rainier. Still, I rarely paused to look at them, much less go up to hike in them, and it was only when I moved away that I missed them. Mount Rainier was like an anchor for me, a sight that was always there to orient me, and I felt a little lost when I moved to Atlanta and didn’t have any mountains to help me get my bearings.

Later, when I was in college, I spent a semester as an exchange student in Avignon, France, and got used to seeing the 14th century Palais des Papes – the seat of Western Christianity from 1305 to 1377 – across the river from the University in just few weeks. After that, it was as if it had become invisible to me.

I know that people in Athens walk around every day without noticing the Acropolis above the city, just as people in Rome go to work without taking a second look at the Coliseum, and people in Paris don’t even glance at the Eiffel Tower most days. I imagine that the people who live next to the Grand Canyon or Mount Everest are the same.

We humans can get used to the most awesome sights remarkably quickly, after which we take them for granted.

Awe is all around us

I went for a walk yesterday on a “linear park” around the corner from my apartment. It was a beautiful sunny day, blue sky with just a few clouds, warm but not hot, perfect weather in my world.

I admit that I intended to look with fresh eyes, to see if I could evoke a sense of awe, even while I was walking along the street and then on the trail running under the power lines.

The sound of traffic was ever-present in the distance, but the wind through the trees was still audible over it, and I heard birds singing and the occasional squirrel scrabbling through the bushes. It wasn’t silent, but it was peaceful, and I felt in touch with nature.

The trees were beautiful in the afternoon sun, vivid greens with some of the leaves starting to turn red with the season, and the pine trees were heavy with pinecones. I thought of how I can stand in front of a painting by Monet or Van Gogh, marveling at the beauty of trees against the sky, but don’t even notice when the real thing is right there beside me.

I closed my eyes and faced the sun, seeing red behind my closed eyelids and feeling the warmth on my face, my arms, and my chest. A slight wind passed by pleasantly.

It felt good to walk, to be outside after sitting in front of my computer all day. I stopped every few minutes, both because I was out of breath and to drink in my surroundings. To remind myself how beautiful the natural world is, how amazing the Earth is, and the sky and the sun.

It’s nothing like the majesty of the Antarctic, of course, but it’s closer than I usually notice. I imagine what it must have been like for the Native Peoples to walk on the hillside where I now stood, a pristine wilderness as beautiful as any park.

I tried to see it through my friend’s eyes, too: “I hope you appreciate how beautiful it is here”

I felt appreciation and, yes, a little awe. The world is an awesome place.

Awe and connection

For me, awe connects me with the world around me, the bigger picture, the grand scheme of things. Even in small doses like this, it refreshes me, leaves me feeling replenished and restored. It boosts my sense of well-being and relaxes me.

Awe takes me out of my thoughts, out of myself, and away from my stress. I breath it in, soak it in with my eyes and my heart, and it fills me with peace in the moment.

As I continued my walk, I noticed myself smiling at the people I passed, feeling a fellowship with them as we shared a brief moment. I felt more connected to them and less defensive.

Back in my apartment, I returned to my work calmer and more focused, with a clearer head.

I’ve always encouraged others to exercise and to spend time in nature; I’ve written about that before in this blog but paying attention to awe adds another dimension to the experience.

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I could mention the psychological benefits of awe – I’ve added a link below for those who are interested – but I think they’re self-evident any time we pause to allow ourselves to experience it.

I hope we can all pause to appreciate the beauty around us, wherever we are.

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For more information, see Awe.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 for any mental health or substance use crisis.

You can also call 1-800-273-8255 for the?National Suicide Prevention Lifeline?or?text HOME to 741-741 for support from the?Crisis Text Line. The?National Helpline for alcohol and drug abuse?is at 1-800-662-4357. All three are free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

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This piece is not intended as medical or legal advice. Always speak with your medical provider before initiating a diet or exercise regimen or if you have medical questions. If you have legal questions, consult with an attorney.

This article represents my own opinions as a non-physician and does not reflect the opinions or positions of my employer.

[1]???? I watched it on Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), but it’s also available for free on Tubi, Crackle, Plex, Amazon, and YouTube.

[2]???? For anyone considering moving to Portland, it is a burned-out ruin, plus it rains all the time. and the people are mean and unattractive. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to live here. ??