Oh Wow!

Oh, Wow!

Two Cups of Tea at Hope’s Cafe

              “Always be on the lookout for wonder,” wrote E.B. White, author of many books including Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web.  The renowned scientist Albert Einstein also had much to say about living our lives engaged in curiosity, wonder, mystery.  “He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed,” said Einstein. Very simply he said “There are two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

              As I age and become more attuned to the preciousness of every moment, I find myself saying “Oh, wow!” a lot.  I think I am growing to be, as White wrote, “always on lookout for wonder.”  Living in wonder is almost like living on another planet, another dimension, where daily cares and worries seem to shrink to such modest proportions that they are barely noticeable.  I am certainly more aware of the sense of contentment when I engage with such moments. 

              My husband has talked about how on his return from Vietnam, the smallest things triggered a sense of awe:  a cold soft drink, a flush toilet, a comfortable bed out of the elements. Being in awe perhaps comes more easily after something as dramatic as his Vietnam experience.  Yet we are capable of paying attention in the daily mechanics of our lives to things as small as the wonder of a steaming cup of coffee on a cold morning. 

Driving to an appointment this week I marveled at how a car operates, that I have the ability to get from point A to point B when I need to. Such a small thing as compared to the wonder of the night sky.  I marvel that wonder comes in so many sizes and shapes. Einstein addressed the more dramatic with these words: “One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.” Such a wide range of opportunities to practice wonder! Keys would seem to be paying attention and staying open to being “wonderstruck!

The invitation is open to share “two cups of tea” anytime at Hope’s Café, or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate