Wonder is one of those words most people would assume they know exactly what it means. And I don’t doubt they have a good idea. But with most significant words, wonder is perhaps deeper and more profound than many of us would have thought. This describes how I was before reading a short little piece that made me think a little more about the phenomenon of wonder. I wanted to share some thoughts with you. I am convinced the whole discussion naturally leads to spiritual thinking and living. For that I am appreciative.
The piece comes from the pen of Dutch professor of education, Anders Schinkel. Before he began his argument, he noted, “wonder epitomises what education is all about: opening up the world.” Right away, I was hooked and read further. I started thinking about wonder---what really is it and how do I do it? It made me wonder (!) if somehow, I incorporate it into my teaching. I love the fact that wonder opens up the world.
Schinkel notes the obvious when he comments on how much children wonder about things---everything! We also know how that capacity to wonder seems to wane, as we age. I have heard people say that we send kids to school to beat the curiosity out of them! Maybe we do that with their capacity to wonder, too. We focus, we narrow and domesticate the wonder of the world. In this sense, we close the world. This is how Schinkel puts it: “Familiarity---even if it implies no real understanding at all---can dull the sense of mystery.” That is, indeed, sad.
The article proceeded in predictable fashion for me. Then Schinkel offered a sentence that stopped me in my mental tracks. He says, “It is unfortunate that wonder is so often identified either with curiosity or with awe.” Suddenly, I realized I had just used the word, curiosity, in a sentence earlier in this reflection. Do I identify wonder with curiosity? I never thought about this---but I am now! I was eager to read on.
Not surprisingly, the author tells me how he understands things. He suggests, “Curiosity’s value lies in motivating enquiry, where awe is capable of heightening interest to the point of an admiration that actually halts enquiry.” It makes sense to see curiosity as a motivator. If I am curious, I plough ahead to examine, experiment, etc. Awe is that experience that really stops things. In awe I simply stop and stare or bask in an experience. Awe is standing looking at the mountain or an amazing painting. We are caught up in the moment. The same goes in an encounter with God. It is Moses at the burning bush!
Now Schinkel turns to wonder. He says it is “a mode of consciousness” and “a way of being aware of the world.” Wonder is “other-oriented, open to what reveals itself to us.” In wonder we “are confronted first and foremost my mystery, now power or greatness.” Unlike curiosity, wonder does not impel me forward to investigate. I simply want to stay with and in the mystery; I don’t want to solve it. Instead, we want to experience the mystery. We want to linger with mystery.
We don’t solve mystery, like we solve problems. We don’t understand mystery, like we understand theories. We are called to appreciate mystery. And this is where it touched the realm of Spirit for me. And led me straightaway into spirituality. It is easy for me to acknowledge God is mystery. Even if I am to address God as Father or Mother, even as Friend, I know these are metaphors for addressing God. I am just as happy with non-personal ways of describing God, i.e. Rock, Mother Hen, Love and so forth. They are indeed descriptions. I know they do not capture the essence of the divinity. In that sense God is mystery.
God is real, but finally indescribable. I cannot solve God or even understand God. But as mystery, I can appreciate God. I can go so far as to say that I adore, worship or laud God. I can imagine these actions do more for me than for God…and I am ok with that. Having said all this, I value highly the scientific exploration and explanation that continues to unpack some of the secrets of our universe. I root on these efforts and look forward to sharing their knowledge and insights. But in faith I am not thinking the scientists with finally nail the mystery which is God. God will not be fully explored and explained. Both science and theology will continue to try to describe God. We will talk about God, but we won’t completely pull it off.
I am grateful to Schinkel for helping me understand the capacity for wonder that I (and every other human being) have. It is exciting and enriches my life. It frees me to put my wonder together with curiosity and pursue them. I now know that when I am brought to wonder, then I am free to stop and wait.
I wait for the world and, maybe, for God to reveal itself to me. I expect to be opened to the world and helped to see the world in new and exciting ways. This is going to add a great dimension to my life. And it provides a nice way to connect with the spiritual in fresh ways.
All this because I have the capacity to wonder.
The piece comes from the pen of Dutch professor of education, Anders Schinkel. Before he began his argument, he noted, “wonder epitomises what education is all about: opening up the world.” Right away, I was hooked and read further. I started thinking about wonder---what really is it and how do I do it? It made me wonder (!) if somehow, I incorporate it into my teaching. I love the fact that wonder opens up the world.
Schinkel notes the obvious when he comments on how much children wonder about things---everything! We also know how that capacity to wonder seems to wane, as we age. I have heard people say that we send kids to school to beat the curiosity out of them! Maybe we do that with their capacity to wonder, too. We focus, we narrow and domesticate the wonder of the world. In this sense, we close the world. This is how Schinkel puts it: “Familiarity---even if it implies no real understanding at all---can dull the sense of mystery.” That is, indeed, sad.
The article proceeded in predictable fashion for me. Then Schinkel offered a sentence that stopped me in my mental tracks. He says, “It is unfortunate that wonder is so often identified either with curiosity or with awe.” Suddenly, I realized I had just used the word, curiosity, in a sentence earlier in this reflection. Do I identify wonder with curiosity? I never thought about this---but I am now! I was eager to read on.
Not surprisingly, the author tells me how he understands things. He suggests, “Curiosity’s value lies in motivating enquiry, where awe is capable of heightening interest to the point of an admiration that actually halts enquiry.” It makes sense to see curiosity as a motivator. If I am curious, I plough ahead to examine, experiment, etc. Awe is that experience that really stops things. In awe I simply stop and stare or bask in an experience. Awe is standing looking at the mountain or an amazing painting. We are caught up in the moment. The same goes in an encounter with God. It is Moses at the burning bush!
Now Schinkel turns to wonder. He says it is “a mode of consciousness” and “a way of being aware of the world.” Wonder is “other-oriented, open to what reveals itself to us.” In wonder we “are confronted first and foremost my mystery, now power or greatness.” Unlike curiosity, wonder does not impel me forward to investigate. I simply want to stay with and in the mystery; I don’t want to solve it. Instead, we want to experience the mystery. We want to linger with mystery.
We don’t solve mystery, like we solve problems. We don’t understand mystery, like we understand theories. We are called to appreciate mystery. And this is where it touched the realm of Spirit for me. And led me straightaway into spirituality. It is easy for me to acknowledge God is mystery. Even if I am to address God as Father or Mother, even as Friend, I know these are metaphors for addressing God. I am just as happy with non-personal ways of describing God, i.e. Rock, Mother Hen, Love and so forth. They are indeed descriptions. I know they do not capture the essence of the divinity. In that sense God is mystery.
God is real, but finally indescribable. I cannot solve God or even understand God. But as mystery, I can appreciate God. I can go so far as to say that I adore, worship or laud God. I can imagine these actions do more for me than for God…and I am ok with that. Having said all this, I value highly the scientific exploration and explanation that continues to unpack some of the secrets of our universe. I root on these efforts and look forward to sharing their knowledge and insights. But in faith I am not thinking the scientists with finally nail the mystery which is God. God will not be fully explored and explained. Both science and theology will continue to try to describe God. We will talk about God, but we won’t completely pull it off.
I am grateful to Schinkel for helping me understand the capacity for wonder that I (and every other human being) have. It is exciting and enriches my life. It frees me to put my wonder together with curiosity and pursue them. I now know that when I am brought to wonder, then I am free to stop and wait.
I wait for the world and, maybe, for God to reveal itself to me. I expect to be opened to the world and helped to see the world in new and exciting ways. This is going to add a great dimension to my life. And it provides a nice way to connect with the spiritual in fresh ways.
All this because I have the capacity to wonder.
Comments
Post a Comment