As an individual who experiences a constellation of feelings and circumstances throughout life, one of my very favorite is when beauty, splendor, love, or magnificence arises so powerfully that I am moved to tears.
I especially began to notice this response within me during my teen years, though perhaps my childhood had these responses as well.
As an adult, I still experience times of such profound rapture:
- When expressions of love between myself and a beloved mix with innocence and joy, and our souls seem liberated together
- Seeing love break out between people across the world, such as the Facebook based "Peace and Love" initiative now taking place between everyday people from Israel and Iran
- Experiencing magnificence, splendor or beauty in Nature - whether it be innocent and sweet or profound.. For instance, when I was in high school, I discovered the heavenly scents of Black Locust blossoms. Their tender yet rich sweetness filled humid Spring nights and traveled miles on the wind. A scent so heavenly as to seem other worldly; moving me to tears. Black Locust Blossom scents suddenly added themselves to tear evoking scents of flowers that had already touched my heart like this-Honeysuckle and Lilac blossoms.
- Witnessing celestial events of splendor beyond all imagination.. Some of my storm intercepts have initiated this response within me
- Witnessing a child create an expression of creativity or brilliance that seems to transcend their calendar age by decades or even a lifetime. Whether it be a poem, essay, song, stated life mission, piece of art.. or a profoundly wise observation - the magnificence yet innocence of these expressions coming from such a young person moves me to tears
- Receiving an unexpected gift from a loved one
- Music filled with awe, joy and innocence moves me to tears
It seems that when I experience combinations of awe, wonder, gratitude, joy, love communion, child-like innocence and soul liberation, tears of joy erupt within me unprovoked, filling themselves with the desire to flow freely.
What in your life moves you to tears of awe and joy?
