undiscovered country

The Dirt Road to the Nuclear Blast Site

wonder drives us

The experience of exploring an unknown space takes us away from our everyday concerns. We focus all our attention and conscious perception outward. Our energy is replenished by curiousity taking in magestic surroundings, riddled with rich tales of their histories. Our awareness of this wonder is strongest when we are kids, but in the process of growing and learning there’s a tendency for this wonder to diminish or tarnish with age.

This morning I’d like to ask each reader to take a moment, and journey back in your minds eye to a time when you had a more open view of reality (many of you have this perspective handy already). The world is full of potential adventures and exciting opportunities that are revealed only when we are open and ready to recognize them. It’s easy to lose sight of this precious vision when we are stressed or uber busy.

Share your new outlook

The first hurdle is enhancing this view on your own. But there’s an almost mystical quality to folks who share open views together. The over critical judgement that usually comes from tarnished wonder evaporates, letting people connect on a deeper and more genuine level. Go out and inspire those around you with optimism, with wonder, and enthusiasm.

Your world can begin to drastically change with a shift in perspective. Who knows what undiscovered countries we’ll find together.

  • http://shanacarp.com/essays ShanaC

    Yup this is a happier view of reality…

  • http://wolfsongs.com RealMaverick

    I like this post a lot. I know you said you do not have time for a lot of leisure reading but you might want to look into the book 'In Prasie of Slowness' by Carl Honore. It talks about changing your outlook by finding time to slow down and recharge/decompress and also how you can find new ways to appreciate activities if they are done slowly.
    I am discovering that the easiest way to recapture my sense of wonder is to actually listen to my own son and follow his lead. This has the added benefit of bonding with my son as well.

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    Very Glad you enjoyed it Tman. There's a growing collection of “leisure” books that I'm losing track of. I need to jot down a list, one day I'll have all the time in the world to read, or at least I like to believe that.

    I did pick up a couple of leisurely books recently, mostly for the inspiration factor. New Rules for the New Economy by Kevin Kelly, and Zen Unicorn by Seth Godin (mostly a blog catchup in easy reading format).

    I'm planning to catch some Slow Art in Manhattan at an exhibit in April.

  • http://wolfsongs.com RealMaverick

    You should make that list. I have a growing list of books that I plan on reading and writing reviews on.

    In fact my list just got two new entries…thanks for the book info!

  • http://shanacarp.com/essays ShanaC

    Yup this is a happier view of reality…

  • http://wolfsongs.com RealMaverick

    I like this post a lot. I know you said you do not have time for a lot of leisure reading but you might want to look into the book 'In Prasie of Slowness' by Carl Honore. It talks about changing your outlook by finding time to slow down and recharge/decompress and also how you can find new ways to appreciate activities if they are done slowly.
    I am discovering that the easiest way to recapture my sense of wonder is to actually listen to my own son and follow his lead. This has the added benefit of bonding with my son as well.

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    Very Glad you enjoyed it Tman. There's a growing collection of “leisure” books that I'm losing track of. I need to jot down a list, one day I'll have all the time in the world to read, or at least I like to believe that.

    I did pick up a couple of leisurely books recently, mostly for the inspiration factor. New Rules for the New Economy by Kevin Kelly, and Zen Unicorn by Seth Godin (mostly a blog catchup in easy reading format).

    I'm planning to catch some Slow Art in Manhattan at an exhibit in April.

  • http://wolfsongs.com RealMaverick

    You should make that list. I have a growing list of books that I plan on reading and writing reviews on.

    In fact my list just got two new entries…thanks for the book info!