What A ‘Wonder’ful World

Recently, I got to spend some time with a few toddlers in my friends’ groups. We had all gone to a garden for a picnic. The children were mesmerised by the various kinds of trees, all the flowers in hundreds of colours, the fluttering butterflies and the simple thrill of seeing a fountain in action. Their short bursts of giggles, and unending stream of questions about the natural phenomena around us, kept us enthralled. We knew answers to some of the questions and struggled to explain the rest. Quickly someone would ‘Google’ the answer and explain it to the three and four year olds. It was fun, nonetheless.After a few days, I spent some time with another two year old. This time at an experiential museum. There were cool laser lights and wall art. We spent a fantastic few hours just gazing and gaping at how science and art came together to show us something absolutely unique. Cut to a few weeks later, and I was attending a musical concert with a friend. It was in an outdoor stadium. There were people of all age groups, from six year olds to eighty year olds. The main artist is a legend of his own right, with over fifty years as a composer. Several of his hit songs were muscle memory to the older generations. However, what caught my attention was a child, maybe around eight years old, who was with her family, seated next to me. She let out tiny squeals and loud gasps whenever the orchestration did something cool, or when the stadium lights went in sync with the music. Unknown to her, she was witnessing the joy of music with a few thousands of fans, but experiencing it for the first time in her own little head.As someone who has had multiple picnics in a garden, visited museums in several cities and countries, and attended several concerts by musicians across all genres, these experiences were not novel to me. Yet to witness the first-hand amazement of the children around me was unparalleled joy. It made me re-navigate this world, even if briefly, with curiosity and… wonder..Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child. All is a miracle.Thich Nhat Hanh.It is true, as we grow up and understand how this world works, the novelty wears off. The blue of the sky and the scattering of light is nothing unique. The scientific mind may even say that it is after all the Tyndall effect. The chlorophyll and the chemical compounds of plants which lend colours to the flowers are but some basic evolution trivia for those of us who have crossed primary school. Beyond these though, have you wondered why there are so many colours? And why uniquely each colour and scent attracts a different species of bees, birds and butterflies? If one were not a botanist, entomologist or a zoologist by profession, the average garden is still a ground of miracles. It reveals the cycle of birth, life and death, right there. For a musician, or a mathematician, it is simply a creative and logical pursuit to figure out how the beats, tunes and notes come together in a symphony. For the regular listener, it is akin to knowing their own palm. Everything is predictable, everything is known. Yet what is it that makes every sound unique? How is sound produced from nothing but air and a chord, or wind and a lute? How, in our knowledge systems, does this even go back to Shiva, the originator of sounds and syllables? This is the wonder of it all. Even the temple bell or a car horn could open a portal of seeking.In a monotonous world, of studying, working, doing chores and exercises, it is easy to become disenchanted with the daily miracles we see in our garden or kitchens or living rooms. For the seeker though, each moment of wonder, is a call to transcend from the mundane to the divine. Try listening to a known song again and see if you find something new. Watch your bread turn brown when it toasts and ask of the role of Fire in your life. See the sky again and wonder, Who holds together this vast expanse. Experience the world with renewed awe, and surrender to the magic that is His creation through it all.

What A ‘Wonder’ful World

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