Why We Marvel

Recently, Cynthia and I took our three grandchildren on a trip out West. What I didn't expect was how often I would find myself standing in complete amazement. Over a few short days, we experienced two incredible examples of human creativity and three of nature's greatest masterpieces. By the end of the trip, I found myself asking a simple question: 
Why do we marvel so deeply at both?

Our first evening was spent at Cirque du Soleil's O at the Bellagio. Divers disappeared into deep pools, performers soared through the air, and somehow a stage transformed from water to dry land in the blink of an eye. The next night, we experienced The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere, where technology immersed us so completely in the story that it felt as if we had stepped inside the film itself.

Then came Zion National Park, Antelope Canyon, and finally the Grand Canyon. Each left us speechless in its own way. As different as these experiences were, they all produced the same reaction: Awesome!

Three thoughts stayed with me throughout the journey:

Wonder comes in many forms. Whether it's a canyon carved by nature or a performance created by human imagination, we are drawn to things that remind us how extraordinary our world can be.

The reveal is often the best part. Some of my favorite moments were the first glimpse of Zion's towering cliffs, stepping into Antelope Canyon, seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, or watching the curtain rise before a performance. Anticipation makes discovery even sweeter.

Creativity deserves our admiration. Nature's masterpieces are breathtaking, but so are the accomplishments of talented artists, engineers, performers, and visionaries who transform imagination into experiences that leave us speechless.

What I may remember most, however, was watching our grandchildren take it all in. The wide eyes. The excitement. The questions. Their reactions reminded me that wonder is one of life's greatest gifts.

The older I get, the more I realize that we should never lose our capacity to be amazed. Whether created by nature or by human hands, the extraordinary is all around us. Sometimes we simply need to pause long enough to notice it.