Question of the Day | 08/12/2008 12:00 am

What creates a sense of awe and mystery in your life and why?

Joan Ganz Cooney | 08/12/2008 12:00 am

What Amazes Joan Ganz Cooney?

Weather and all of nature including, very importantly, the animals who live in the wild create endless awe and mystery in my life partly because man cannot control weather (although we may be affecting it) and because it can be so utterly destrucive, and because man did not create the mountains and rivers nor all the animals that roam the earth. As for what humans have created, communications technology is endlesssly mysterious to me and I’m always in awe of it.

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Liz Smith | 08/12/2008 12:00 am

Why Seeing Birds and Puppies Makes Liz Smith Ponder Life's Mysteries

More and more I find my “shock, awe and mystery” in the vagaries, beauties and surprises of nature, in the now disappearing beautiful birds of the world, in the fluid waters of many excellent aquariums and in the more painful confines of its zoos. Also, in the many beautiful photographic books about nature and this universe. One can always gaze skyward at night to be shocked almost insensible with wonder. And what about those puppies and kittens in the windows of puppy mills? If they don’t break your heart and fill you with awe and mystery over how little you can do to help them, then what does?

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Looking through the Word Wide Telescope at the universe—a whole lotta awe out there :-) A woman’s smile will do it too, if it’s her smile for only me.

By Frank Peterson on 08/12/2008 12:02 am

Frank — you are not only a romantic but you are so right — it can only take a smile from the right person and suddenly all is right in the world, isn’t it? Explain that — but I don’t think we care really. We only hope that some days we are on the receiving end of that burst of happiness that fills us.

By joan larsen on 08/12/2008 12:29 am

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Yes, Joan—a very special person can instill in us that feeling of: you are the one for me since I’ve was born—it happened to me—what amazement, what wonderment.

By Frank Peterson on 08/12/2008 12:32 am

There are many things that inspire awe in me. I believe one of the first times was over 30 years ago when I saw my nephew’s birth. It hit me hard what an amazing miracle life is. I couldn’t get over the fact that he had formed and lived inside of my sister, and then came out perfect, smooth, silky and even a little buff. That was amazing to me. I had the excellent privilege of participating in the births of several of my nieces and nephews. It always knocked me out, the incredible wonder of it all, and the strength of the women delivering those babies. All were natural, some at home and some at birthing centers, but it made no difference. It was a great help to understand the process when I gave birth to my oldest. Another wonder that always amazes me is lightening. I love lightening. Living one valley over from a desert, there are many lightening storms. One was of particular beauty and duration so I convinced my guys to hop in the car with me and chase the storm. We drove over a hill and parked at the top. We overlooked the desert floor and the lightening was rapidly striking in long splitting streaks and flashes. Gradually other cars arrived and many people silently got out of their cars. Suggested we move away from the vehicle and then many of them assembled their cameras and opened the lenses and took pictures. Okay, indulge me a little longer. Something else comes to mind that always inspires awe in me. Jellyfish. Yep, I love them. I fell in love with them at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Their supple intensity never ceases to amaze me. I love the ones with little fluorescent lights that zip around them. Or the moon jellies that gracefully float endlessly. And on and on. Gardens of course, since I have been gardening for over 40 years, the cycle of spring when everything bursts is truly awesome. I always love that, just like children, flowers grow towards the light.

By Frannie Em on 08/12/2008 2:10 am

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That aquarium sooooooooo awesome—the kelp garden, the great white they actually kept alive and then released, the jellies—what a truly amazing integrated system. Once here I watched lightning walk itself across the water and take out a Doug fir at Point Defiance—awesome sight that—I saw that coming toward me and I froze—scared? liked to pee my pants—oh my yes. but in awe too. lmao

By Frank Peterson on 08/12/2008 2:27 am

Frank I love the Point Defiance Zoo, and the park there. I would have hated to see a tree totally taken out by lightening. Yikes. About 20 years ago Eric, my husband and I were in Yosemite hiking the mist trail and lightening started and was like smoking the top of the trees. I loved it, but also knew it was time to leave. I wish I could have seen it walk itself across the water - that would have been cool. Hey, don’t pee your pants.

By Frannie Em on 08/12/2008 2:34 am

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Dear Frannie Em, How beautifully stated. You are a marvel. Thank you.

By Maizie James on 08/12/2008 10:19 pm

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I am always awed by rhythms and cycles, death and re-birth, falling and rising. Perhaps, this is why I am called to the garden. The cycles of planting and the delicate micro-climates that can affect the way plants grow. Every time we make mistakes, or cause pain to someone else, or deaths of loved ones occur, or suffer terrible monetary losses, we somehow have the resiliance to be reborn, to reinvent, to rethink our lives. We, too are gardens, and our lives go in cycles. And, after terrible trauma and suffering, we humans have the ability to bloom one pedal at a time like a flower. And, when circumstances are so overwhelming, and we think we can go no further, someone touches our lives,or something happens that will put us back on our journey path, and then we will be reborn. And, that is called grace. I am awed at the times Grace touches our lives.

By Diana T on 08/12/2008 12:17 am

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Oh Diana that is so very lovely—yes it is Grace isn’t it, maybe the one saving fact in our lives at times. Thank you.

By Frank Peterson on 08/12/2008 12:20 am

I say let’s all vote Diana the ‘Brillant person of the Week” award. Can’t top that. Beautiful!! Thank you!!

By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/12/2008 12:50 am

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Got my vote

By Frank Peterson on 08/12/2008 1:33 am

My vote too….I also vote for Frannie…I just love reading all of your posts.

By Josie Sullivan on 08/12/2008 11:15 am

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Beautiful post Diana

By Frannie Em on 08/12/2008 2:35 am

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Grace touched our lives this morning in the form of a blog by Diana! Thank you Diana.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 08/12/2008 9:39 am

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Frank, Winery, Frannie Em and JMK, Thank you so much for your very kind words. That was a difficult question for me to answer until I realized that the best things happen in my life when I am going through my worst. The journey is more important than reaching the destination, don’t you think? Makes me think of the poem, Ithaca. Wow has been very good for my thinking, for instance.

By Diana T on 08/12/2008 10:03 am