In the next article I will pick back up with our Room with a View series. I decided to interrupt the series to answer a reader’s question….What can we do to experience awe during coronavirus…where can we go…what can we do? This question is very applicable in these times of stay at home orders and travel restrictions. The answer is also applicable during other times when we are unable to travel because of busy schedules, health, budget, or any other reason. The answer is also applicable to any ordinary day when you are tight on time or money but you want to experience awe.
When our budget and time is tight, our stress is more likely to be high and that is the perfect time to experience awe. Awe can improve our outlook on all of those things…sometimes changing our outlook is also all it takes to get through those times more easily and more quickly. The good news is…awe is free…and it can be found anywhere!
If you are not able to go outside for any reason, you can turn to your old photos, the photos of others online, or TV. There have been some awemazing things captured on film. Just viewing them can inspire the feeling of awe. (I actually have some of the photos from this post hanging at my desk at work…I take awe breaks throughout the day! Each one of these photos can bring me right back to the moment I took the photo…to what feels like a million miles away from work! Don’t get me wrong…I like my work but…breaks actually increases my productivity!)
If you are able to go outside…explore your immediate outside space. There are beautiful flowers that grow through concrete, there are birds nesting, seasons happening, and so much more…look around and take it in. You are sure to find something that will inspire awe. When I was a teacher I would collect items from my neighborhood (like a knobby tree limb, moss growing on a rock, an egg shell I found on the sidewalk, etc.) to bring into my class for “observation” in science class. My students asked me…”Don’t your neighbors think you are weird?” They soon started telling me stories of things that they stopped to bend down or look up to see in their own neighborhoods…of course I would respond…”Don’t your neighbors think you are weird?” Well, I am still the weird neighbor that will look for vantage points for awe all around me (and take pictures). I am lucky to be so awe struck by nature…it isn’t that hard for me to find awe everywhere but be patient if it takes you some practice to be present in each moment…it will pay off!
Public spaces and parks are another great option. If they require a mask…there is still awe to be found so grab a mask and get out there (if you feel safe in your area.) The park that I go to is on the Delaware River just outside of Philadelphia. When the tide is low there is a “beach” to walk on and you can see the Philadelphia skyline. Spring is great with new growth and so many birds. Don’t get down during times like these…get out there and let awe raise your spirits!
One last thing that also helps us get through times when we are unable to travel…is planning our next trip! Times are uncertain right now so we might not be able to make specific plans but we can definitely select a location and find vantage points for awe when we arrive! The next post will bring us back to the series Room with a View…I hope it will help you decide which room you will book when travel is safe again! We will get back out there – Use this time to plan the details…to make our return to travel especially full of awe! Stay safe, healthy, and happy!
