Everything is Awesome? Everything?

Last week, the guest on one of my favorite podcasts OnBeing with Krista Tippett, was Dacher Keltner, a University of California/Berkley psychology professor and author, who was on the program to talk about his new book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.

I was intrigued by the subject of his book — Awe. I was also curious about the emerging research revealing that experiences of awe of our life have measurable restorative and healing impact on our physical and mental well-being.

This makes perfect sense to me, and I found myself suddenly grateful for not having to ponder, “gee I wonder if, when or where I have experienced awe in my life…” My personal definition of awe is having my mind blown by an experience, circumstance or person. And thankfully, my mind gets blown away often!

I have to say that this is a quality I love about me. I am still easily dazzled. I often exclaim “WOW” — silently or aloud — at the stunning complexity and startling simplicity of, well, just about everything, and everyone! I mean really…what is NOT awesome in the Universe (or Multiverse)?

And before you think I'm being naive, and protest this idea by listing examples of all the circumstances and people in the world who could conceivably be considered objectively horrible and/or frightening, I would add that even they be considered as awesome, if only for the power they have to inspire us to respond to them. We can discover awesome acts of compassion, courage, tenacity, or transcendence that are rooted in traumatic or uprooting experiences or people. Naturally awesomeness here may not be as easy to access as with joyful experiences, but it seems to me it could be worth it to discover how to more easily find awe here as well, especially if it was beneficial for our long term physical and our emotional health!

I have been delighted to realize that I do know awe in my life, and very well, I might add. I also have been relieved to see how my childlike wonder and awe have actually saved my life by keeping my annoyingly paradoxical cynicism, disappointment and despair in check. Every moment I experience as a “wow!” is a moment that I know I woke up for that day, and a pretty reliable sign that more are in store, even in, and through, the most difficult of times.

I know people who think that the word “awesome” has become one of the most over-used, ubiquitous and cliche words in our vernacular. And, even more recently, the word “amazing” along with it. When we enjoy an experience or admire a person we say they are “awesommmmme” or “ah-maaaaazing.” We think to ourselves “really? How can everything we think is good or great be awesome, or amazing?

But what if it was? Because, c’mon, think about it. Isn’t it?

Pop duo Tegan and Sara said it first in their song and the Lego Movie used this song and put it’s message on WIDE RELEASE…

Last week, the guest of my favorite podcasts OnBeing with Krista Tippett, was Dacher Keltner, a University of California/Berkley psychology professor and author, who was on the program to talk about his new book, "Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life".e.