Where SENSAWONDA came from (was) RE: [at-l] sensawonda

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

Since I've seen on the list and gotten some replies (OL) about SENSAWONDA, I
thought I would comment on where it came from.  I cannot claim to have
originated that term.  I found it first in SFandom.  And I understand that
SFdom had been using it for awhile.  I'm sure it preceeded the "V8"
commercials where the gal or guys says "WOW I could have had a V8!!!".  But
sensawonda is the sense of WOW (WOW as in GOSH and not Woodmen Of the
World).  Try reading Dr. Doolittle or Tom Swift as you would when you were a
child.  Can you imagine what it would really be like to talk to an animal or
to fly the first giant VTOL plane with living quarters, labs, and so on?

Children seem to live in a constant sensawonda.  Everything is bright and
new and amazing and "possible".  Even old stuff.  Remember collecting and
watching ants, tadpoles, and June bugs?  Remember watching a building being
built?  Remember wondering about how milk, sugar, and peaches turned into
peach ice cream inside that handturned churn?  Their minds are limber and
flexible and their minds have not gotten to be rigid "adult" computer
programs.  To them "Impossibility" is impossible.  They are open to the
universe.

And it is sensawonda that lead me to reading Fantasy, SF, and Horror and
their kith and kin.  It's also what leads me out the door and stumbling down
pathways that leads to God-knows-where.

But it is a good word for most backpackers.  Unless they are trying to be
the first to hike the AT or the first to run backwards down the AT or...

William, The Sensawonda Turtle
	-- Sensawonda, the new Wonda bread --
		-- Bread, the staff of Life --  



-----Original Message-----
From: Bob C. [mailto:ellen@clinic.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 7:21 PM
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] sensawonda


"...I  first  regained  it when my son was born and I began to look at the
world
again through those brand new eyes."

"A  Sense  of Wonder" was the title of one of Rachel Carson's last books,
issued
shortly  before  she  died of cancer. She urged parents and friends to
cultivate
the sense of wonder of young children.

It's  her advice that first convinced me to let my three children plan their
own
hikes  and  set their own paces. Occasionally I see the book reissued, but
it is
well  worth  seeking  out  in  used book stores, especially for parents of
young
children or those who have occasional to backpack with young children.

Weary