The Power of Wow
I don’t think I’m the type of person who buries her head in the sand when there’s bad news or when terrible things happen. But I am someone who keeps trusting that, even in the dark times, there are silver linings, rays of sunlight, serendipitous moments, or what might be described as the unexplainable appearance of hope and sense of well being.
I’ve recently been thinking about why that is the case for me. We are living in very challenging times. Fear and loss are experienced by people everywhere. These things do weigh on my heart, and I want to do something about them. I am not a stone. And, yet I also remain hopeful that I – we – can find our footing, find peace, and find hope again.
Part of what helps me get there is what writer Anne Lamott calls the “power of wow” – that is, an awareness and appreciation of the beauty and simple kindnesses that are all around us. Lamott says that the key to cultivating this appreciation is to keep an open eye and mind. She writes:
"Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds. This happens more often when we have as little expectation as possible. If you say, “Well, that’s pretty much what I thought I’d see,” you are in trouble. At that point, you have to ask yourself why you’re even here. […] Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business."
Staying open for business and not prejudging people and circumstances can be very hard to do at times. And, yet, when I make room in my head and life for the “wow” in life, it’s hard not to see it all around me.
Yesterday, for example, I took my dog Miles on his daily walk. After a morning of rain, the sky cleared up and turned a gorgeous blue. I noticed waxy green blades shooting through the mud, a sign that spring crocuses and daffodils are on the way. Later, I took Miles for a car ride as I ran a few errands in town. I had the back windows rolled down, and he stuck his nose out for the breeze and smells. From my rear-view mirror, I could see his head tilted back and his eyes half-closed, like he was truly in the moment, taking it all in. These are the little things that fill my heart and give me peace.
I don’t imagine that Lamott’s recipe for finding hope, beauty, and wonder works for all people all of the time. But I must say, once I get in the habit of seeing beauty and experiencing good things everywhere, it’s hard to stop.
Thank goodness.
1.Anne Lamott, Help. Thanks. Wow: The Three Essential Prayers.