Renew Your Sense of Wonder in the Heavens and Humanity
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When was the last time you paused to marvel at the wonder of creation?
One of my earliest memories was driving home from the circus in downtown Atlanta and gazing out the window of the car at the full moon. My mother of blessed memory would sing with me, "I see the moon and the moon sees me." The catchy refrain and vision of the sky mesmerized me.
I am confident that I am not alone with early childhood memories of wonder and excitement at mystery and majesty of nature. We all remember such moment of pure joy and fascination with the Heavens above.
On Monday, we will all reignite our sense of childhood wonder.
Millions of people will gaze towards the Heavens to glimpse the rare phenomenon. The first solar eclipse in almost a century is captivating young and old. People are taking days off, traveling far and wide, and spending money to experience the awe inspiring event!
Stop. Plan now for Tuesday. You do not have to wait another century to experience the recharge from Monday. Latent in the solar eclipse are three timely and timeless messages for staying inspired, motivated in life and for healing our country.
First, the world is not on auto pilot. God renews creation every day. Mother Nature has a father who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. The ordinary is truly extraordinary. When we awake in the morning, take a moment to express appreciation for life’s blessings. We can breathe, walk, talk, see and hear. Thank God, we are alive!
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us to “live life in radical amazement. ....get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”
Second, the world does not revolve solely around you. The solar eclipse is a needed dose of humility. We live in a “me” generation. It is no surprise the “I” phone is so popular.
Yet, as we gaze above we cannot help but echo the words of David in Psalm 8, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Monday is a time to ask ourselves – do we live for our own glory or the glory of God? Are we takers or are we givers? We are born into this world not for fame or fortune but for to foster faith and friendship. We are born but not to get but to give, not to have and hold but to serve. When we live with humility, we draw on a higher power to stay motivated in our mission every day!
Finally, as millions gaze upwards, it is a wakeup call to spend more time looking up. How often do we walk looking down lost in our devices, checking texts, emails and ear phones keeping us oblivious to the person right before our eyes? Tomorrow reminds us to see the face of God in humanity. We are all children of God, infused with a spark of the Divine. Too often we fail to notice this light in each other. Whether at work, home or on the street, we are not alone, we are one community, one nation. On Tuesday, look up and see the goodness in your neighbor, coworker and friends. Do not dig for the dirt but mine for the gold.
Tomorrow offers a rare opportunity for us to reignite our sense of wonder, remember to walk with humility and rediscover the Divine light in all humanity. Don’t miss it!