The Power of Wonder Part 1
April 21, 2026
The Power of Wonder Part 1
Welcome to this week’s Daily Reflections on the Power of Wonder.
What if the part of you that you think you have outgrown… is actually the truest part of who you are?
It was 1987 when I was first introduced to the idea of the soul child—that untouched, wonder-filled self that lives beneath all the striving and proving. Rediscovering him was nothing short of life changing. At the time, I was a young father with children who were fully alive in their own wonder years. As I began to reconnect with my own soul child, something opened in me. It was a new sensitivity not only to myself, but to the sacred, radiant way our children experienced the world.
Their lives were not driven by pressure or performance, but by curiosity, presence, and joy. I have many precious memories of our children during their soul child years… and the ones that stand out are those in which they were in pure wonder. Night walks on the beach under a twinkling diamond sky, chasing sand crabs with flashlights and their squeals of delight when one brushed over their bare feet. And there was looking at doodle bugs, caterpillars, and chipmunks. When they saw their loved cocker spaniel Magnolia, birthing five babies in her bed on the kitchen floor… we experienced Ben’s and Lauren’s sheer wonder … fascination… amazement. Then there were the Christmases. The tree was always an ever-changing source of awe and wonder.
In contrast, my own life had become tightly wound. I was serving as an assistant professor of behavioral science, at the University of Alabama in Birmingham’s Family Practice Residency Program. Immersed in responsibility and expectation, I lived in deadlines, decisions, teaching, and the constant hum of concern. I worried. I planned. I strove.
But my soul child? He did not worry. He did not strive. He did not perform.
He lived fully in the present moment, trusting life as it unfolded. He was not concerned with what others thought. He was free, anchored in wonder, openness, and a quiet trust in the Divine. The difference between who I had become and who I truly was could not have been starker. One life was driven by pressure. The other by presence. And somewhere along the way, the pursuit of security had begun to break me.
But something deeper within whispered a truth: I was not completely adrift; I had only detached from who I really was. And when I remembered the true “me,” I knew I had to reconnect. The soul child I had rediscovered became my new friend, my inspiration. Never again would I forget him, never again would I fall into the life of striving, focusing on my ego’s fears and desires. Never again would I forget to relax and have fun… to trust the mystery!
Around that time, Lark and I visited a street art festival. Booths lined the walkways, filled with paintings, glass, leather, and handcrafted beauty. Everything was impressive, but one table stopped me in my tracks.
It was filled with whimsical pottery—alive with color, imagination, and delight. The artist, Roxy Worthy, stood there with a presence that felt instantly familiar. Speaking with her felt like encountering a kindred spirit, someone who lived from that same place of wonder I was beginning to rediscover.
Then I saw it. A single piece, a delicately crafted pottery basket, wrapped in sculpted vines, overflowing with vibrant, unexpected scenes hidden inside. It was more than art. It was a mirror. A symbol of the life and world I longed to live in again.
We brought the whimsical basket home.
Since 1987, it has been in our living room. And to this day, when I pass by, I sometimes pause and look inside. In that simple act, I remember. I remember who I really am. It becomes nearly impossible to take ourselves too seriously when we gaze into that small world of wonder right there in our living room.
It calls us back to lightness, to joy, to truth. Our lives did not become less full. Responsibilities grew. Challenges came and went. But the soul child remained, steady, quiet, and true. A touchstone within me, tethered to the Divine, holding the qualities placed there from the very beginning: wonder, creativity, openness, trust.
That child still lives within us all, ready to be embraced and embodied.
“People were bringing children to him… and he took them in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.” — Mark 10:13-16
Spiritual practice: What object, image, or piece of art reminds you of your soul child? Is it placed where you can see it often? If not, consider creating a visible, sacred reminder—something that gently calls you back to your truest self.
Self-inquiry: Why do you think we need reminders to return to our soul child?
Prayer:
Dear God, For the power of wonder you placed in me at my making, I am so grateful. In that wonder, I feel held in Your arms. Amen.
