EP 949 Have the Pandemic and Social Media Crushed Our Sense of Awe?

Step out your front door and feast on images of the natural world that when studied provide us with such great joy and wonder that our spirits rise and all of our self-doubts and social anxiety melt away. Yet, since the pandemic when we became inert and homebound and relied on our small screens for connection.  The lag from that moment, coupled with the many choices for entertainment in-home and the fear of confrontation with others about our partisan divide, make the safe choice the one many of us choose.  And, of course, that results in the loneliness epidemic that a past Surgeon General said was a major health problem in the country.  How do we cure it?  Referring to the opening sentence in this podcast description, step out your front door and watch and appreciate birds, smell the ocean air, lose yourself in the wonders that abound.  Feel small.  Lose a sense of time.  Get the chills.  To discuss all of this with us is Val Walker, author of her newest book, “Healing Through Wonder: How Aw Restores Us After Trauma and Loss.”

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