Wonder and curiosity

Gates shares in her introduction stories from her life (like watching the Apollo launch) that brought her to the term “The Moment of Lift.” She is almost like awe-struck child as she describes taking off in an airplane. Please share how you maintain that sense of wonder and curiosity. How do you this impacts you in the aging process?

I think one of the most important things to do to maintain a sense of wonder and curiosity is simply to slow down, to not let the worries and responsibilities of the world blind us to its beauty. I am fortunate to have our two and a half year old granddaughter live with us. To her, the world is full of wonder and excitement. It is a joy to see her reactions to every new thing. Looking at the world through her eyes also helps me maintain a sense of wonder.

I remember that my younger self enjoyed that feeling of lift when taking off in an airplane. It felt like magic being up in the air, being transported to far away places. As I’ve aged, that sense of wonder has faded. This book is a good reminder to remember.

I think it’s important to always keep exploring new things and ideas. Normally, traveling and learning about new places is one of my favorite ways to nurture my sense of wonder and curiosity. In the current situation where the ability to travel is limited, I’m finding I need to consciously seek other ways to nurture my sense of exploration. One way I’m doing that is being more intentional about my reading in 2021, planning a variety of new books and topics to explore.

You can never let age be a deterrent to trying new things and keeping your mind open to new ideas. Traveling, reading, volunteering...these are good ways to keep things fresh and to continue to learn about new things. If we could all see things through the eyes of a child, we wouldn't take one daily task for granted.

We must maintain wonder and curiosity in all ages of our lives. I do so by reading, trying new recipes, crocheting, and continuing to have mindful interactions with others. Several friends and I meet with young Turkish immigrants to help them with their conversational English; all of us in the group gain from the experience.

Like another person, I remember the first time I flew and the feeling of wonder when the plane took off. Spending time with my 2 year old grand daughter has opened my 69 year old eyes to a renewed sense of wonder. From watching bubbles blow up to the sky, seeing the moon peak over the trees and, looking under trees to find new bugs. Many things seem new and renewed and I "wonder" at her gift to teach me about the joy of new experiences.