Do you ever feel a pang of disappointment when someone says ‘Oh, I know all about that’, and closes the conversation down?
It might be because you feel belittled as if your contribution doesn’t count. Or equally, it could be because you feel a tinge of sadness in the presence of a closed mind — someone who is not open to possibilities.
Especially today I would love to give the gift of wonder, in a world that is so tired and fatigued.
Wonder – the word itself opens possibilities. It offers the invitation of exploration, of discovering more than we had imagined.
The gift of wonder awakens our curiosity and fires our imagination. It permits us not to have to know it all and be open to surprise and delight.
To play and be child-like in our enjoyment of what we find. Letting go of our cynical facade, which we mistake for being adult and grown-up.
And to see ourselves as being part of something so much bigger, which it will take a lifetime to explore, including encountering ourselves and each other.
For presence
Awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet
immensity of your own presence.Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to follow its path.
Let the flame of anger free you of all falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.
May anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror and inner dignity of soul.
Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.
John O’Donohue, from Benedictus: A Book of Blessings
May I offer you the gift of wonder today?