Beauty, they say, will save us

I recently had the privilege of spending an authentic night with the Bedouins in the heart of Oman, under a sky full of stars. After a flavorful dinner, I find myself laying on the cool desert ground, despite my fatigued body from a day of full driving and hiking. I looked up, and transported back in time to the days when my ancestors saw enjoyed this everyday, looking in awe at a sky modern pollution deprived us from.

In our modern lives, filled with the relentless noise of urban existence (I tend to enjoy it to a certain extent), such moments of tranquility are a fleeting feeling, if not entirely absent.

The middle east is quite a long way from home, but I continuously aim to keep my life filled with moments of awe, that sensation of wonder and respect in the face of something vast and immense.

When we allow ourselves to be impressed by nature, we break the limits of our routines. And by consequence we are reminded that life can be extraordinary, with beauty and wonder often waiting just beyond the next horizon or perhaps just around the corner of our own city. Whether it’s a long walk along on your hometown corniche, a weekend getaway in the mountains, or the peace found in solitude under the stars, these moments are special for the soul.

Despite the simplicity, it’s pitiable to observe so many people trapped in their daily hustle, oblivious to the beauty around them. Opportunities of awe are missed, from a spontaneous horse ride to savoring a new meal from a cuisine they’ve never tried. Each of these experiences, while simple, holds the potential to provoke a sense of awe that revitalizes the spirit.

Dostoevsky couldn’t be further from the truth when he said that beauty will save the world. The stars may not always shine as brightly as they did that night in the desert, but small moments of awe radically refine our day to day lives. All it requires is the willingness to look up and live with intention.