A Sense of Wonder

I wrote this introduction to the Sense of Wonder concept to present to our campers on the first day of Springfield Camp session one: "A Sense of Wonder".  I was lucky enough to talk with a reporter for the Public Opinion this morning about our new venture, and she asked "Why the 'wonder' collective?"  I thought I should post part of the answer for all of you.  Within the text are questions we discussed at camp, and I decided to leave them in as a prompt for either your own self-evaluation or a conversation with the young wondering spirits in your life. 

On Sunday mornings growing up, one of our local radio stations often played a song that started with spoken text on living life a little richer:  “Spend time with a child, and see the world through four-year-old eyes.” 

*What do you think that means, to “see the world through four-year-old eyes”?

 I am the oldest of seven children, so there usually was a four-year-old around to see the world with, and I made a point of borrowing their sense of wonder, their amazement at this world they really are discovering for the first time.  I think these reminders helped my own sense of wonder survive the hardening of adolescence.  I loved my brothers and sisters, and thought living in a big family was lucky.  I made a point of spending time with the little ones individually and now that they’re grown men and women, a doctor and a dentist and scientists, fathers and mothers themselves, I really treasure my memories of their open, clear-eyed, trusting selves, discovering the world together.  One of my life’s great honors was hearing from my entomologist brother (that’s a bug scientist!), now doing cutting-edge molecular genetic research (and catching bugs all over the world), that it was at a sister date at the park, when I showed him the marvelous detail of a leaf and explained its parts and functions, as his first “science is amazing!” moment.  I still really love detail.  I like to hike with my grandfather’s magnifying loupe and stop to see closer the markings on a mountain laurel blossom or suddenly drop to the ground to check out the star-shaped moss along the trail.  It drives my husband (a “conquer-the-peak!” sort of guy) crazy, but he is patient, and I consider my sense of wonder my greatest talent.  A gift!  It makes my life glow.

*What are some of the details you see in nature that make your life glow?

As children, this still-active sense of wonder is one of your greatest gifts, too, and this week we want to help you really believe that seeing the wonder in the world makes your life better.  As we learn about birds and plants and their amazing detail and have fun with bubbles and water and wood and make new things from natural materials, we want also to record what we see with words and paint so you can remember it and share it with your families.

We advertised this camp to your parents with this quotes from a book by a woman named Rachel Carson, who fought for nature:

“If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.”         

*How do you think having a sense of wonder keeps you from being bored?

*How do you think having a sense of wonder keeps you strong?

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”     

*Who could you share your sense of wonder with?