The concept of wonder intrigues me. First and foremost at heart level. I am passionate about creating small experiences of wonder – for myself and with and for others. I believe that in the time and world in which we find ourselves – wonder’s invitation to pause and pay attention, to wholeheartedly appreciate but also radically question everyday life – is important.
Wonder continues to puzzle me intellectually. I often feel the notion of wonder at the tips of my fingers – and then it slips away from me again. Wonder can bring joy and insight, but can also wound and unsettle. Wonder can strike unexpectedly, but can also require a continuous effort to see the extraordinary within the ordinary. As an action researcher with a background in Appreciative Inquiry, I have both endeavoured to connect to and live my own life with a sense of wonder as well as to create settings in which I could inquire into wonder together with others. In this essay, I want to offer a small glimpse of my explorations by inviting you to travel back in time with me to one specific moment in which I strongly experienced wonder.