An awe narrative about a sunrise awe walk
If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and adore. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Rising Sun
The sun shimmied its way past the clouds to shimmer across the faintly green-tinted water. It illuminated the wet sand, bringing light to a new day. I took a deep breath of warm salty air. I felt the gentle breeze on my face, the shifting sand hugged my foot and each toe with every step. I heard the soundtrack of the slow lap of the rippling sea and busy birds in the distance. I was in awe of this universe.
I felt like such a small part of a vast and incomprehensible system. There was more beach this morning than the evening before as the tides took hold. Each morning is its own masterpiece. Each vantage point brings its own experience. There were hundreds of people in their beds only a few steps from the shore, but I was a dot on the globe walking and taking in that moment alone.
The Sand and Sea
To avoid getting lost in the overwhelming abundance of this moment, I began to focus my attention on the small details laid out on the sand before me. I resisted the feeling that I would just float away.
The colors, shapes, and textures of the items thrown from the sea and the sand crab holes all deserved some of my time. They each deserved some wonder. How long had they been here? Where had they been? What were they like before? Who else had seen them? I took deep breaths after each exploration as if to soak in the experience to carry these feelings of wonder and awe home with me.
As I walked, I absorbed one small detail after another. I startled a group of birds feeding along the shore. They flew off. The sea had already washed away their footprints by the time I reached where they had been, but they left one little trace behind. One white feather, a sign of peace.
My eyes followed the birds as they flew away. I was again taking in the big picture. I was mesmerized by the clearness and greenish-blue color of the water that stretched across the distant shore of this bay. I was stunned by the mountains that rose up in the background. Again, a feeling that there is so much more than me, so much more than I could ever explore in one lifetime.
I was surrounded by so many living things, so many details to be recorded in my mind. Vivid contrasting colors, shapes, and textures. More breathing to engrain this feeling and these images in my mind.
More Than Me
Then, I rounded a point and I was no longer alone. I felt a connection to this fisherman. We were being greeted by this new day together. Why were we here in this very moment together? He reminded me of all that the sea has to offer beyond just its beauty. Did I remind him that there was beauty in this moment beyond his work? Did I remind him that there were people that are thankful for his work? I was thankful to him and for the fisherman that provided my dinner from the sea the night before. Was it him? I hoped the sea was kind to him this morning so he could accomplish his goal of earning a wage or feeding his family.
Final Thoughts
As the sun continued to rise, more light, more color, and more to explore. What a great start to a great day.
I sometimes sleep in late when I am not going to work. But, today, I am glad I rose with the sun. I started my day filled with thoughts and feelings of awe, serenity, hope, thankfulness, and an abundance of joy. Through narrating this awe walk, I hope to preserve these feelings for myself and share them with others.
Thanks for reading! I hope everyone experiments with ways to find awe so they can reap the great benefits.