If asked to describe Oak Park High School in one word, most would call its students “motivated.” Each student has their niche that they fit into, their place they belong and excel in. Whether it’s STEM classes, sports, theater or any of the other myriad of courses and activities around campus, OPHS students bring their all to everything they do.
But when was the last time we just let ourselves find a thrill in the mundane? When was the last time we took a break from the chaos of our daily lives to just do a fun, silly, simple activity that leaves undeniable joy?
When was the last time we experienced childlike wonder?
Childlike wonder might seem like a trending phrase that has little meaning other than comedic value, but there is merit in the idea of experiencing life from a place of awe. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that a critical emotion like awe “is likely to enhance mental and physical health through emotion-specific influences on thought patterns and social behavior.” We most often see these traits in children because they are innocent and still experiencing the world from a place of wonder.
Although most of us do, you don’t have to outgrow your childlike wonder. We forget to let go of the little things and just enjoy ourselves. As a child, I wouldn’t have hesitated to roll down a grassy hill just because there were people around.
At the same time, I notice that my nine-year-old sister is experiencing her childlike wonder to the fullest. She is not embarrassed to dance when her favorite song comes on in the mall. She revels in arts and crafts, and even if they’re not her best work they all receive a special home in her room. She still finds it fascinating that the moon is sometimes out during the day.
In the eyes of a child, the world is still new, something that needs to be explored and questioned and loved wholeheartedly.
When was the last time you danced in the mall? Laughed on a swing set? Jumped on your bed? Ran up to a stranger to pet their dog? Laid on the floor and colored an incomprehensible picture with only worn out crayons and a dream?
We let ourselves be so caught up in being “grown up,” that we forget our inner child needs to play too. We need to let ourselves be excited by the simple things, to do things just for the fun of it.
So how do we rediscover this childlike wonder? It’s all about reframing your perspective. Though it may have come naturally as a child, finding awe has to be purposeful as we grow because we are taught to become more nonchalant. But there is beauty in the world for us to find and be absolutely wonderstruck by. After all, the world is new for us too; we’ve just gotten used to more things.
Think of it as a scavenger hunt. You are looking to find things that light you up from inside that have no particular purpose other than pure enjoyment. It can be as simple as looking at the stars or making your favorite childhood pasta; put it on your list of little moments that let you lean into childlike wonder. Maybe participating in this personal scavenger hunt is an act of reveling in childlike wonder.
Childlike wonder can come in at any moment, whether it’s driving down the freeway and noticing the way the hills roll into the mountains, finding shapes in clouds as you’re walking to class or playing with a kid and realizing it’s all so simple. We often notice these things, but don’t really allow ourselves to indulge in them.
Indulge. Be awestruck. Find dandelions and blow them out. Make bad origami and give it to your friends. Let yourself be moved by the sight of buildings so tall that you can’t see the tops of them. Be starry-eyed and teary-eyed on the mezzanine of the Griffith Observatory. Dance around to your old favorite song, even if your performance is only for your stuffed animals. After all, we must do things for ourselves, for our inner child. There is the charm in the mundane, so find it and let it change you.
