There is a massive oak tree a couple of blocks away from my parent’s apartment in Brooklyn that has torn up the sidewalk in defiance. After I learned that oaks spend 300 years growing, 300 years living, and 300 years slowly declining, I’ve been deep in the effervescent waters of wonder. My walks around the neighborhood aren’t really walks anymore. I stop a lot. I use all of my senses. I gawk and marvel.
Every evening around dusk, fireflies flash their yellowish-green light in a mysterious rhythm at the base of these mighty trees. When I was a child, the arrival of the fireflies meant many things. The start of Summer. The last moments of playtime before being called inside for dinner. A drunken feeling of giddy amazement. Overall, the bug’s bioluminescence inspired wonder. Which inevitably led to questions of How? and Why?
As an adult, I Googled the answers to the questions above. So here they are: Fireflies are soft-bodied beetles that produce light in a chemical reaction between a compound called luciferin and an enzyme called luciferase in the presence of magnesium ions, ATP, and oxygen. They do this mainly during twilight to attract mates. They particularly like sub-tropical, marshy climates, so they do well in cities like New York.
Of course, knowing facts is not the same thing as experiencing miracles. Yet, even though the fireflies readily offer their otherworldly magic each night, I have not seen anyone in my neighborhood stop to look closely. People pass by in an inattentive daze, some on their phones, some behind a thick scrim of thought.
Wonder is like attention’s younger cousin. When we are children, it comes naturally. Most adults, blocked by stimulus and distraction, might go a very long time without accessing the feeling. But without it, both the human spirit and the natural world are at risk. For example, most people are too alienated from their senses to truly appreciate these lightning bugs while, tragically, their species is going extinct due to habitat destruction and light pollution. As Herman Hesse once wrote, “while wandering down the path of wonder, I briefly escape the world of separation and enter the world of unity.” Wonder bridges worlds.
So, try it. Rejoin your human and nonhuman kin. Allow yourself to be wonder-drunk and smitten by the intricate details of the world we are all a part of. When in doubt, let your inner child lead the way.
Special Announcement
I am working on a special project called “The Art of Nature Oracle Deck.” I’ll be releasing cards (and descriptions) on an ongoing basis to inspire your creative/spiritual journey. This series will only be available to paid subscribers, so consider becoming a monthly subscriber or giving a one-time, yearly donation to get these cards delivered to your inbox. I’ve written many already that I’m so excited to share. Here’s an example of that offering below.
WONDER
Mature fireflies perform miracles of light in early summer months. Their ability to illuminate the night sky inspires wonder.
Wonder is like attention’s younger cousin. When we are children, it comes naturally. Every new fact is impossible. A marvel. Most adults, blocked by stimulus and distraction, might go a very long time without accessing the feeling.
But that feeling is actually aliveness. And without it, both the human spirit and the natural world are at risk. As Herman Hesse once wrote, “while wandering down the path of wonder, I briefly escape the world of separation and enter the world of unity.”
So, try it. Rejoin your human and nonhuman kin. Allow yourself to be wonder-drunk and smitten by the intricate details of the world we are all a part of. Let your inner child lead the way.
wonder, fireflies, trees... 🙌🏼 💚