A Little More About 'Awe' As Duncan Describes

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INTRODUCTION

I just had a good discussion with a fellow WA member on the subject of awe...This was a result of a good post by our friend Duncan who had blogged about the subject and included a link to an interesting and thought-provoking article...

Veronica (now my friend here hehe) made a comment that my reply to Duncan's post would have made a good post...I kind of agree that the subject is an important one for all of us, and Duncan was right on target...

Therefore, I have decided to add in the comment I made below, and I would urge you to go have a look at Duncan's post, and read that article he links to...This is powerful stuff if used properly...

Here's the link to Duncan's post:

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/funkydunc208/blog/...

OK, here goes...

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MY COMMENTS (EDITED FOR CLARITY/READABILITY)


DAVE: "REGARDING THE SUBJECT OF AWE..."


"Hi, Veronica...

Over the years I had chances to work with many different sets of people under one umbrella organization, the US Army...I started as a young lad and continued over 25 years seeing many places under what were often less than ideal circumstances...

Additionally, I was fortunate enough to meet a finite set of folks that could naturally inspire awe in you. Their mannerisms, characteristics, behaviors, decisions, speaking abilities, and other actions manifested awe in those around them....

I also worked with folks that were quite the opposite...They abused people, positions, and authority for all the wrong reasons...Generally, they were narcissists, had low self-esteem, and other personality disorders...

From such people, I also learned a lot...Unfortunately, the things I picked up were what not to do hehe...You do not have a choice in the military, you deal with the hand that is dealt you....

What kept me going when this was the situation were a number of tools I kept in my mental 'tool chest.' One of these was reminiscing on the awe moments...They could be related to people, family, travel, scenery, events, or even meals that stood out (that perfect evening with that perfect food)...

SOME WOULD SAY USING SUCH A TOOL IS A CRUTCH, A COPING MECHANISM, A SIGN OF WEAKNESS, ETC.

........

DAVE: "HERE IS WHAT I THINK."


Life is like a mountain for me....You are generally at some altitude all the time, can expect not to remain at the top if and when you get there, but the journey with the highs and lows of climbing and descending makes it all worth it...

If there were no low points, you would not have anything to compare the high points with... You would perhaps miss out on some aspect of the high points, and have lived without really appreciating the few moments of the high points...

.....

DAVE: "BOTTOM LINE ON THE SUBJECT"


By nature I am a positive person, I am a bit talkative and wordy, and opinionated, but open to new ideas and ways of doing anything.

Some would call that Minnesota Nice (smile)...It is how I was raised...

This is also something I was born with to a degree, but I practiced and worked and learned and practiced more to hone whatever innate/rudimentary skills I may have had...


DAVE: "THE LOWS THAT MAKE YOU APPRECIATE THE HIGHS"


Also, some of the lows came at a very young age (19) when I was in a car accident where I should have died....To this day I think back on that period and know it was something that resulted in unintended consequences...

It scarred me literally and figuratively...The driver died, I was in the 'dead man's' seat - no seat belt, under the influence of alcohol, and certainly had no inkling of what was to happen...

The mind plays tricks on you...Something as horrific as this will often result in amnesia, which is what happened to me...

I have no recollection of the moment my head went through the windshield, no recollection of the emergency aid and operations that followed in the aftermath...

Later I was shown pictures in gory detail of the accident, and because there were a number of fatalities that Christmas season (it was my second year in Germany shortly before the holiday season when this happened) the cars involved were all put on public display with warnings about drinking and driving (again I was not driving)...

My friend and work colleague Greg was the one driving that car, but I was with him...I was also drunk...We were young, foolish, crazy, and having fun...What could happen?

Here's what happened...

He did not survive, he died on the operating table. He too was not wearing a seat belt and the steering wheel was pushed through his chest...

But...


DAVE: "THE HIGHS"


I did not die...I not only chose to live (I was speaking with God, believe me), but to live in a manner that I would make a positive difference in people's lives...

To the best of my ability, I have done that, and I think my efforts have truly helped people over the years in one way or another...

The second thing that incident gave me was the ability to appreciate the things many take for granted...

Whether it is the orderliness of a street without bomb craters, houses that are not booby-trapped, or windows that are not broken and are clean, or the knowledge you can step off a road into the woods without worrying about an IED...

I could go on, but I think you get the idea...


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DAVE: "WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE?"


(1) SAVOR THE MOMENTS



I savor the moments, the memories, and the relationships...Every day...I am truly in awe of life in general, no matter my circumstance at any particular moment...

One memory that will stick to me until the day I die is coming back home to Germany after deployment to a war zone for a year...

Your perception is sharper after this period, and what I was taking in just walking down a street near my house was the orderliness that was all around me...


(2) COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS


People have no idea how blessed they are sometimes...They complain about the little things that really do mean cr#p...

..

(3) PAY IT FORWARD


In the companies that I have run, or worked in, or been a part of, I work(ed) always very hard to instill in all the people the wonder of life around them, awe is what they are calling it now...


(4) AGAIN, ENJOY THOSE MOMENTS!

So I do think that awe can be effective in leadership and companies, and I do realize what a powerful tool it is, having been fortunate enough reach the top of that mountain once or twice already in my ever longer lifetime (not sure how many more trips I will get a chance to make hehe)...


(5) COFFEE IS AWE-SOME! : )

.

These thoughts and $5 will get you a good cup of coffee, something else I am in awe of hehe!!


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CONCLUSION

I do hope that some of you will get something out of this, my experiences are not all that uncommon perhaps and I am sure that others could add a blog post themselves on the subject, as I now have from the comment...

We may have worst moments and best moments, but certainly we can learn from the bad ones ro make the best ones better...Be in awe of this and the wonders that surround you...Make a difference while you can, use each moment....

Please add below or over on Duncan's post your own experiences with all things awe...It is a wonderful subject and a powerful tool if used for positive and good outcomes as opposed to manipulation of people and profit...

Cheers!

Dave : )

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...both interesting and intriguing...

Thanks.... : )

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