Radical Amazement

“Our goal should be 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.”

–Abraham Joshua Heschel

I can’t stop thinking about two women participating in different Eremos programs last week. One from Australia was with us in the early morning while we we gathered for an evening program.

Her radical amazement at the technological gift that enabled her to be with us reminded me of the quote by Heschel. How quickly we’ve become blasé about Zoom and other meeting platforms. Yet, their ability to connect us is a miraculous gift.

Another woman expressed her delight in the instant connection she felt to the two women joining her in a breakout room discussion. She too understood — in a way many of us forget — the incredible gift of virtual community.

The blessing for the rest of us gathered with these two wise women is their joy and amazement radiated out to lift us up. What has become mundane in your life that is worthy of viewing through the lens of “radical amazement?”

May you be blessed with the joy of living life in radical amazement.

For Equilibrium

In Honor of the Autumnal Equinox
Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.

As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity by lightened by grace.

Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.

As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.

As silence smiles on the other side of what’s said,
May your sense of irony bring perspective.

As time remains free of all that it frames,
May your mind stay clear of all it names.

May your prayer of listening deepen enough
to hear in the depths the laughter of God.”

—John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings