"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder"

E. B. White (Italics added)

On Christmas Alina was excited about watching the new Pixar movie "Soul". (Spoiler: Skip this paragraph if you haven't watched it.) As we watched the plot unfold, it struck me that the thing that was missing in 22's "life" was wonder. When we meet her, she's numb and her existence feels meaningless. We learn that she's had many mentors try to give her a "spark" for life, and that each subsequent teacher failed to understand that she didn't need more, she needed wonder. It wasn't until she started experiencing wonder that she realized why her life was worth living. 

There's so much to learn from wonder. 

Admittedly, I've been thinking a lot about wonder, so I noticed this theme in "Soul". My professor at BYU, Dr. Ralph Hancock, taught that wonder saves: It save us from the endless consumerism consummated by Niccolo Machiavelli's "stupefaction and satisfaction" under his new "prince". Machiavelli wants us to be enslaved by our passion for material acquisition and stupefied by the fear of violence and loss. In this position, we are distracted from seeking meaning, and we fail to make space for wonder. 

In response to Machiavelli, French philosopher Phillipe Beneton suggests that when we lose our sense of wonder to "material satisfaction" we become bound hand and foot. We literally become immobilized for producing the kind of life that we want to live: The kind of life that offers real meaning. We need to be concerned about the impact of reducing purpose to materialism. He argues that wonder has the power to save because it can also lead us back to our purpose. That is a really powerful truth for me.

Yesterday an inspiring friend shared a quote from Mary Ellen Edmunds— actually her book title— "You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need." The things we don't need never satisfy, and when we don't realize that, we never stop trying to consume them. It becomes an endless cycle. To borrow from Mark Monson, it becomes "the feedback loop from Hell". 

But, returning to wonder, people who have done amazing things in this world are people who are filled with wonder. Wonder inspires them to act and to do. President Nelson was a pioneering heart surgeon in the 1950's-1970's, literally changing the scape of heart surgery, because he never ceased to wonder about the eternal laws that govern its function. He was inspired by wonder. 

Every remarkable person I know is shaped by wonder. And the same is true for every remarkable leader in history. We need to experience a sense of wonder. Wonder is a human need because life without wonder isn't sustainable. And we need to surround ourselves with people who fearlessly wonder and act. 

Since becoming a single "mum", I've struggled with panic. As life slowed down with my graduation (YESYESYESYESYESYES), I realized one of the difficulties with the way I was bearing my responsibilities is that I wasn't taking the time to experience a sense of wonder. It felt super hard actually. I really struggled because I just felt so overwhelmed and doubted myself. It was really dark sometimes. At times we go through seasons when we need to hold on to others to survive. Looking back, these times have created a tapestry of meaning for me in which I get to employ a sense of wonder for all God has provided for me. I wonder at the love of my Heavenly Father, I wonder at all of the amazing people He inspired to lift and bless us, and I wonder at the great care that He takes to provide for each one of us. Even for seemingly minute things. There's so much to wonder about in the world, and there's so much God has in store for us. 

In quick parting, I just want to leave you with a few of my favorite lines from Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance". I know it's corny, and country (gasp!), but it has always touched my heart, and summarizes what I wish for each of you:  

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance... I hope you dance...

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance,
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin',
Don't let some Hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. Dance.

Thanks for being here working out your salvation with me, friend. As always.