When did you last gasp in wonder? Was it watching the fireworks, at the sight of a mountaintop view, or when you held your child or grandchild for the first time? Some moments in life are so wonderful they take our breath away. Wonderful - full of wonder. Awesome - inspiring awe and reverence.
Awesome has become a very popular word in recent years. It is used to describe everything from a good day at the beach to finding a bargain at the mall, even the latest must-see TV show. Like all living things, our language grows and changes, but if we devalue the word awesome to meaning merely excellent, or even just very good, what have we left to describe those moments in our lives that are genuinely magnificent and awe-inspiring? It would be a sad day if our language were to become so impoverished that the incredible beauty of the Northern Lights and the miracle of new life were to be put on the same level as the latest ice cream flavour or sports car.
When people see something truly extraordinary, they will often sigh or say, "Ah." It's an automatic, even involuntary response. It has been suggested by those who study such things this may be the basis for the word alleluia, which means, God be praised. So the next time you witness something that makes you gasp, why not complete the thought with "Alleluia!" and give praise to the God of wonders.
