Rachel Carson (1956) — scientist, writer, and environmentalist — tells us that "A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement" (p. 42). Many of us have heard and been inspired by these words, but may not have a clear idea about what wonder really is. This isn't surprising, because wonder in different contexts can mean different things. As used by Carson, wonder refers to a "clear-eyed vision," a "true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring" (p. 42). Wonder in this context is something we feel (an emotion), but also a 'way of knowing' based on intuition or natural instinct.

Wonder as an emotion

Emotions are what give zest to life, and quality and meaning to our existence. Some might say that emotions are what make life worth living. Yet some emotions (such as anger, jealousy, disgust, and sadness) may leave us feeling miserable. Wonder is different; it is an emotion which uplifts and inspires. We can count on wonder to enrich and ennoble our lives. As Carson (1956) says, wonder can serve "as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the ­sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength" (p. 43).

We experience wonder as a spark inside of us — a spark which lights up our life and stirs our imagination. We also experience wonder as an emotion that takes us outside of ourselves and into a realm that is greater than ourselves. When strongly felt, this experience of "being outside of ourselves" — and outside of time — is sometimes referred to as ecstasy and is accompanied by intense joy or delight (Hart, 2005).

Beauty seems to play a special role in awakening our sense of wonder and allowing us to experience 'self-forgetting' moments of great joy and ecstasy (Johnson, 2002). Beauty can also lead us to an understanding of truth. The poet, John Keats, writes, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty — that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

Wonder as a way of knowing

We usually relate the concept of truth to something that conforms to fact or actuality; something that can be proven or arrived at through rational thought. We can thank poets, like Keats, to give us other ideas about the meaning of truth. By equating beauty and truth and linking this to a type of knowing, Keats' words can help us appreciate another aspect of wonder — that is, wonder as a way of knowing. The type of knowing associated with wonder isn't primarily about thinking; it's more intuitive than rational and involves a "direct knowing" (Hart, 2005).

Children and wonder

The sense of wonder seems to be much more pronounced in children than in adults (Carson, 1956; Hart, 2005). Reflections of this can be seen in the way young children respond to and interact with certain elements of nature. Watch young children as it begins to snow or as they play in a pile of leaves. You'll witness an abundance of exuberance and joy. You'll see children wholly engaged in the now, and you'll find them responding with their whole bodies. They'll laugh, dance, run, listen, and perhaps even taste. Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to respond with thoughts about what comes next and will spend little time immersing themselves in the moment and in the sensory experiences of what is happening around them. Adults see the snow and think of shoveling the driveway or become anxious about driving on icy roads. They see the leaves and think of all the raking they'll have to do.

Children's way of relating to the world corresponds to their unique way of knowing the world — that is, a way based more on wonder than analytical thought. Children know the world — especially the natural environment — in a deep and direct manner, not as a background for events. For children, the natural world is never formal or abstract, nor is it a scene or a landscape (Cobb, 1977; Sebba, 1991). Unfortunately, this way of knowing the world tends to dissipate over time. During the early stages of cognitive development—when learning is dependent on concrete perceptual experiences — perception conducts thought. With adults, however, perception obeys thought (Sebba, 1991; Wilson, 2010). With this shift, the sense of wonder usually diminishes rather quickly.

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