I captured this guy in St. Augustine.
My family went to visit my parents last Saturday to celebrate my mom’s birthday. When we returned late that afternoon, we had a message waiting on our voice mail. My neighbor from across the street, left an excited message that there was a crane or an egret walking around in her yard. She was so excited that she wanted to share it with us.
This is one of the many reasons I adore this woman. She’s a senior and she always seems to find the wonder in life. That bird had no business walking around in a yard in Northeast Georgia, but here he was and she was so surprised, she wanted to share.
What is it about the oldest and the youngest of humanity that allows them to get it? We seem to be born with a certain amount of wisdom that somehow gets lost around the age of ten and we don’t get it back until sometime in our sixties, if ever.
I’m talking about the ability to appreciate squirrels in backyard feeders and deer in the front yard. I’m talking about the ability to slow down and drink in the scenery. I totally get that deer are pests, but they really are quite majestic and squirrels are hilarious, running around and chasing each other. They are like real-life cartoons. They will actually fuss, if there’s a cat in the yard.
I read a book last summer by Margaret Feinberg, called Wonderstruck. I highly recommend it. This woman had lost passion in her life and she prayed that God would send her wonder and He delivered. It was a delightful read that had me praying for wonder myself.
We are surrounded by wonder everyday. If the earth’s atmosphere was just a tiny bit different, we couldn’t breathe. If the sun was a little closer, we would burn up, a little further away and we would freeze. If the moon were much closer, we would have floods. We don’t see the wonder in it because we don’t ever think about it. It really is amazing.
I think we have lost a lot of our feeling of the Divine presence because we spend so little time in nature these days. Maybe that’s why kids get it. They play outside and seniors take time for a walk or to sit in a porch swing.
Nature is full of wonder and when I sit outdoors in the quiet, I always feel God’s presence. I think I need to make more nature time and see what happens. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to share a glimpse of the wonder on my neighbor’s voice mail. I mean, if you get the chance to see something awesome, don’t you think you should pass it on?
I’d love to hear about how you seek wonder in your life and if you don’t, it’s time to start. Life is simply too short not to enjoy all of the many wonderful things that God has provided. Feel free to share.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂