Remembering a Summer of Awe

About a year ago, my wife and I did a video, "Book It for a Summer of Awe," focusing on awe. She sang “What a Wonderful World” and I talked about some of the things of awe that makes it a wonderful world. In particular, for that video, I was in awe of the groundbreaking space flight of Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic rocket. Most anything that gives us a feeling of awe is good for our health and mental health.

Here we are about one year later and are able to see outer space in a way as never before, thanks to the pictures released by NASA from the James Webb telescope. It is almost like we are glimpsing the light of creation from galaxies far, far away in space and time. Our “world” has now expanded exponentially. Although that may make some feel small and insignificant, how can we not feel large and magnificent that we as a species could build such a working telescope at first try? Now, if we can only enhance our vision into our world of the inner space of our brain and come up with an even better understanding of ourselves.

Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who has specialized in the cultural and ethical aspects of psychiatry. A prolific writer and speaker, he received the one-time designation of Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association in 2002. He is an advocate for mental health issues related to climate instability, burnout, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism for a better world. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times™.