I recently shared this post on Facebook about my trip to Hawaii.
“I’ve dreamed of going to Hawaii since I was a little kid and a devoted Fantasy Island viewer.
It seemed like a dream world to me.
Lush, beautiful, and magical.
And I was right.
The magic of monk seals and sea turtles climbing up the beach to rest for the day, dolphins racing our catamaran, and magnificent humpback whales breaching and crashing into the deep blue waters.
Crabs as black as the crevices of the jagged lava rocks they scurry into, and refuse to let me capture a photo.
Sunsets, waterfalls, and the mesmerizing sound of crashing waves - I was in AWE and sometimes brought to tears by the beauty and magic that surrounded me.
I’ll be forever grateful for this dream come true.”
These were Sights that aren’t a part of my daily life and therefore so noticeable, so appreciated.
But here’s the thing, that feeling of magic doesn’t have to end when vacation does.
As I leave the majestic mountains, cross the blue Pacific waters, and head toward the mainland, there’s plenty of magic I experience daily, but simply don’t notice.
Refrigerators full of food, cars that take us wherever we want to go, and cell phones that do just about everything.
Life-sustaining water- as much as we want at whatever temperature we desire.
Electricity.
My two year old grandson would be in awe as we held him and he flipped the light switch on and off. Magic!
Imagine what someone from 1823 would think of our magical lives.
My experience of awe in Hawaii was created not by the beauty and nature but by my thoughts about it.
How do I know this?
Because there are plenty of people who experience Hawaii daily and have different or no thoughts about it.
The awe was created by intentionally pausing, noticing, and appreciating the AWEsomeness and the beauty all around me.
This reveals that the feeling of Vacation never has to end because I have access to awe and magic at all times.
I just need to be intentional and practice appreciating what surrounds me.
When I do this I am in appreciation and awe of my everyday life and coming home from vacation brings me just as much joy as being there.
Slow down. Notice. Appreciate.
It feels so good and creates an experience of meaning, love, and abundance.
How about you?
I would love to hear what brings AWE into your daily life.
Comments