Wonder-fuel

Get Lost

A few evenings ago, during one of my frequent card readings, Spirit presented me with what it no doubt considered to be a timely message. In short, I was advised to ‘Get Lost.’

The card was from the ‘Inner Child Oracle,’ a lovely deck by Amanda Lynn Aisling. It began with the following question:

‘Have you ever gotten lost in your travels, only to find an unknown treasure along the way?’

Now there’s an interesting thought.

After prompting me to consider the magic that may be found by straying just off the beaten track, the message ended with a call to action – one it posed as a question:

‘How does it feel in your body when you think about the idea of being a little lost? Do you feel excitement or dread?

Ask yourself why you might feel this way … is there a way to release the desire to be in control around the unknown?’

AS ADULTS, we pride ourselves on efficiency. We love plans, routes, and ticking things off lists.

When we travel from point A to point B, we usually take the fastest, most direct path. After all, time is precious … or so we’re told.

However, watch a child take that same journey, and you’ll see something entirely different.

A child will wander. Pause to look at a beetle or a butterfly. Teeter along the curb edge like it’s a tightrope. Dance between cracks in the pavement ‘… tread on a crack, marry a rat.’

A stick is a sword, a puddle is a portal.

There is no rush – what is time, after all?

On a child’s journey there’s no clear route, no GPS and definitely no Satnav.

But in meandering there is magic.

That magic — the sense of wonder and imagination — is not some wispy elusive rainbow forever beyond our reach. We were connected to it at birth … or perhaps earlier. Nor is it something we necessarily lose as we grow older – we simply forget that we have it.

Well, perhaps it’s time to rediscover it.

For it could well be the very thing we need to breathe precious colour back into irksome, ho-hum lives.

Adults Plan. Children Play.

FOR ADULTS, life is a series of tasks to complete. Get to work. Buy groceries. Pay the bills. Check off the to-do list.

We map out our days, maximising efficiency, streamlining schedules. We’re taught to value productivity, not play.

And as for curiosity – how do you include that on a check list?

But children see the world differently.

Where we see errands, they see adventures. Where we see obstacles, they see opportunities. Their minds aren’t hamstrung by ‘what if’ — they’re empowered by it.

Adults aim toward a destination. Children go on a journey.

And that’s not just charming — it’s vital.

Why Wonder Matters

WONDER ISN’T frivolous. It’s fuel for the body and mind.

It wakes us up to the world around us. It slows us down in the best possible way. It reminds us that there is beauty and mystery in the ordinary — if we only take the time to look.

As adults we often complain of burnout, boredom, and feeling stuck. But what if the solution isn’t more productivity, more goals, or more discipline — but more imagination?

Wonder sparks joy. It invites creativity. It softens our hard edges. It reminds us we’re alive. It’s nothing less than our connection to infinity – yes, and beyond!

The Problem with Growing Up (Too Much)

AS WE AGE, rather than engaging our imaginations as we once did, we outsource it.

We hand it over to books, movies, scrolling feeds — and we lose so very much in the process.

It’s not immature to be playful. It’s not childish to be curious. In fact, reconnecting with our inner child might be one of the most grown-up things we can do — especially in a world that feels increasingly rigid, rushed, and routine.

*Imagination is not a childhood phase. It’s a lifelong tool.*

After all, as a parent would you ignore a child in need? Of course not. Why then should you ignore your inner child?

How to Reclaim Childlike Wonder

YOU DON’T need to abandon your responsibilities or live in a treehouse to rediscover wonder. You just need to shift your approach.

Here are a few ways to start:

Take the long way.
Leave early, wander on purpose, and let detours lead to surprises.
Ask ‘what if?’ often.
Not to plan, but to imagine. What if trees could talk? What if that snail is on a mission – where’s it going? What if your journey was a secret mission?
Create for no reason.
Doodle, build, write, dance — not for results, but for fun. And because you can.
Turn chores into games.
Put on music while you clean. Make it a race. A competition. Pretend you’re on a cooking show.
Notice tiny things.
Really look at a leaf. Look again. Closer. Watch how a shadow moves. Listen to the words in the wind and hear its story.
Say yes to silliness.
Wear mismatched socks. Make up a limerick. Be ridiculous.

From Efficiency to Enchantment

TO SEE THE world like a child you don’t have to give up being a responsible adult. You just have to choose how you see it.

You can still get from A to B. But maybe, just maybe, the treasure isn’t the destination, it’s the detour you took along the way — it’s the puddle you jumped over, the thought you had, the laugh you shared, the smile you smiled to a stranger and the one you received in return.

Because life should never be a race to the end. What it should be, however, is a grand, unbridled, beautiful adventure.