Youth Voices: The Life-Changing Power of Awe
Youth Voices: What am I doing here? Researching purple lottery tickets. |
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| Youth Voices: My Second Week at CIMMYT! 
Faint streaks of fuchsia ribbon through the fading blue sky — the first sunset since I touched down in India over a month ago. Strings of Arabic carved into stone dance over archways of historical mosques. Bubblegum flower petals dot the top of a bonsai tree half the length of my arm but eleven years my senior. Polar bears, pomegranates, and peace symbols spill out of the walls towering above us on the Delhi sidewalk.
Child-like wonder and awe have become two cornerstones of my everyday existence, whether skipping through the streets of New Delhi or walking back from the library at night in college. From a tiny red ladybug on the corner of a book (good luck!) to a curly Banyan tree whose trunks I could probably swing on, to the melodic harmony of a symphony and crisp guitar notes ringing through a concert hall, small and full-body moments of awe and wonder exist all around us. In these moments, I wish I could freeze time and bottle up the memory to tap into the sensory experience and buzzing excitement these moments bring me. Echoing my complex relationship with time from my first blog post, I almost yearn for awe-inducing moments like these as I experience them — sort of like having nostalgia for a moment as it unfolds right in front of me.
In particular, when the weight of the world and human existence feels heavier than normal, these moments of awe and child-like wonder become even more meaningful. Connecting to the natural world and our shared humanity through small or grand moments revitalizes my sense of purpose of being a part of something larger than myself and reminds me of beauty that exists all around us — we simply have to look for it. For example, when I woke up with the pressing ache of homesickness several days ago, I tried extra hard to notice small moments of awe around me. The sweetness of the papaya at breakfast, a tiny gecko scampering up the walls of the building, and the steady drum of rain against the window were the moments where I found comfort and solace...[CONTINUE READING]