The first time I flew on a commercial flight, I was in the fifth grade. I was surprised that I could get as many soft drinks as I wanted for free. I still remember how amazing it was to look out at the clouds and the land far below. I remember seeing us touch down. I was amazed by the whole thing, which was a great adventure.
When I was in college and flew sometimes, I always chose a window seat because I wanted to see the ground below me. It was hard to take in all the beauty and patterns when I looked out the window. Yes, I did sometimes read or do something else, but most of the time I just sat there, looked around, and was amazed by everything.
Soon after I started working, I found that I was flying a bit more, and it was clear that I would be flying a lot in my business life. I once told my mom, who loves to fly, that I'd never lose the great feeling of being on an aeroplane and that I'd always sit by the window.
I used to fly once every two months, but now I fly 100,000 miles a year. That's when I moved to the aisle. I stopped being amazed by everything. Last week, I had a window seat and took a break from working or reading to look out the window for a while. As I write this, I've just spent 20 minutes looking out the window. A little bit of the magic is back!
There are a lot of things in our lives that we used to think were great (full of wonder). We no longer think much about many of these things. All of this makes me wonder what happened to the sense of wonder.
"Where's the Marvel?"
I think one way to make our lives more interesting and fun is to see the wonder in the things around us. One reason we take vacations is to do things like this. Yes, some people don't do much more on vacation than go to the beach, which can be great in many ways. But many more people go to museums and art galleries on vacation to learn new things. Many of us go to faraway places to be amazed by the sights, cultures, and foods. Wonder is a big part of what makes these trips so interesting and what makes them so satisfying.
You might wonder if wonder is really that important. I would definitely say yes! Why? Think about it: boredom or, even worse, cynicism are often used to describe a lack of wonder. People don't try to get these things.
We can all find wonder in new things, like new places, new experiences, new books, and new ideas. But I think I found a key to a happier life outside the plane window. That key is to add more wonder to life by remembering past wonders and finding new wonders in the things I do every day.
Re-discovering Wonder
There are many things we can do to make our lives more interesting and full of wonder.
Try to see things in a new way.
Think about things you do automatically. When you do them again, do them as if you were just starting out. Start with how you get to and from work. Make it a task to find wonder in. For example, maybe you walk past a school. Spend some time remembering things from when you were a kid in school. Then try this "fresh-eyed" way of doing other tasks you do often.
Make a list of all the great things you've liked at different times in your life.
Do it in your journal, if you keep one. If not, don't watch TV one night and make these lists instead. Once you have the list, take some time to think about all the wonderful things on it. Think about how you might be able to go through those things again.
Make a list of the things that amaze you every day or week.
Again, this is a great task for your journal or a great habit to add to your plans for the week.
Plan a short trip or a day trip to a nice place just for you.
I grew up on a farm, so a drive through the country in the spring or fall helps me remember how cool it is that plants grow. Some people might find your mini day boring. If you can help them see the wonder in it, you will get more out of it yourself. Then go with them when they're trying to get their own back.
Go to an old event that was about something else.
When you go to a baseball game next, pay less attention to the game and more attention to the fans, or vice versa. Go shopping and buy something that is nothing like what you usually buy. You know what I mean.
These are just a few ways to bring wonder back into your life. This idea is really taking root in my life, and each day is becoming more magical and meaningful in small ways.
I think the same things will happen to you if you decide to rediscover your wonder.
From 31,000 feet up, the Mississippi River is a beautiful sight.
