I was walking at the Dallas Arboretum. Suddenly I heard a squeal of delight. I looked around to see where the sound came from. A tiny girl was the source. She shouted, “Look, look!” And of course, I had to look. She was pointing to two ducks swimming in the water. I would have totally missed them if not for her enthusiasm. “Mommy, I want a duck”, she cried out. The whole incident made me smile and it warmed my heart. How often do we miss the small, beautiful things in our lives.

Do you ever watch small children as they discover new things or learn something new? Their eyes light up, laughter or squeals burst from their mouths, arms flap, legs jump. Their pure joy spreads to those around them.

Even my puppy notices everything new or everything that is out of place. He will chase a leave blowing across the yard or get excited about a new toy or water flowing out of a garden hose. He is constantly curious about everything.

I remember as a child thinking that adults seem bored and few things seem to excite them. I never wanted to be that way. I want to be enthusiastic about the things I do and see.

Do you still feel awe in your life? If not, search for it and it will greatly enhance your life. According to research, feeling awe may be the secret to health and happiness. What is awe? “ Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast or beyond human scale, that transcends our current understanding of things”, according to Dacher Keltner of Berkeley’s Social Interaction Lab. I don’t entirely agree because I also think we can feel awe in simple things like watching a butterfly float by.

As we age, do we lose our sense of awe? Does everything seem to be the same old thing-been there, done that? Research shows that is not uncommon for people to feel sad and lonely as they age. However, older adults who search for moments of awe can overcome these feelings.

Think of ways to discover awe in your life. I travel and see so many new things. I do not have to see penguins in Antarctica or the Grand Canyon to feel awe. I love nature and can be inspired by so many things-even ducks swimming in a pond. Remember the sense of awe seeing a total eclipse or a super moon. See things through the eyes of a child or even a puppy. Explore. Take nature walks. Watch a sunrise or sunset. Look for a rainbow. I’m sure everyone who reads this can add to my list.

A little joke to end with:

A sunflower’s favorite place? The bright side of life!