Last Saturday, I woke up at 4:30 am to go hang my legs off a cliffside and watch the sunrise.
And it was fucking amazing.
Vice put out this article called "The Death of Awe in the Age of Awesome". It talks about how it's become increasingly difficult to attain a sense of genuine awe.
Back in the day, the article says, a Stone Age hunter or a Romantic poet had a better chance of experiencing awe properly. People before the Internet or modern civilization, basically.
Nowadays, we have bucket lists and Instagram to show us everything we could be amazed at, before we have a chance to see it at all. "When was the last time you witnessed something special without seeing a photo of it first?" the article asks.
People try to combat this, try to feel wonder, by traveling to new places around the world. The thing is, seeing the Sistine Chapel or Northern Lights in person doesn't always provide that awe. These places are crowded. You look at it and, because of Google Images, there's nothing new anymore.
The key is to be surprised, apparently. We don't expect the things that truly inspire awe.
The writer describes observing a puffy-chested wren perched by him in the park, something that's never happened to him before. To him, this is the most genuine awe he's ever felt.
For a while, I couldn't find the words to describe why I go out to the woods every weekend, or why I'm a little sad that I'll be moving to the city soon. This is it. I like feeling amazed. I like that I can have a mini weekend adventure to watch the sunrise, or see the stars at 1 am on a new moon night (also last weekend).
It's not so hard to remove yourself from your day-to-day. It doesn't need to be a 5 am hike, or a midnight drive through Caledon. It can be a walk in the park. It can be sitting still and looking at the sky. It doesn't have to be anything amazing - it just has to be a little unexpected.
(Another note: Happy Earth Day! The Lyrid Meteor Shower is tonight, if you have clear skies and the ability to stay up late. Count yourself lucky if you have both.)
(Another note: Happy Earth Day! The Lyrid Meteor Shower is tonight, if you have clear skies and the ability to stay up late. Count yourself lucky if you have both.)
