Reflections on “Awe”

                                                    

 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”*

 

Staring out the window as I sit at my desk early in the morning, looking upward past the stained cinder block wall of our neighbor’s house, over his rooftop and through the tall evergreen trees lining his back fence, I search for glimpses of the sunrise. Many mornings it is obscured by storm clouds, downpouring rain or snow squalls. When the sun breaks through on a clear day, it is a treat!

 Just as the sun was beginning to light up the sky one particular morning, I noticed an amazing display of wispy clouds drifting eastward. They were closely packed together, with only a few patches of brilliant blue visible through the wisps. The sight held me spellbound. Such beauty!

Bob Erlandson, a friend and member of the writer’s group through our senior center, has written a book entitled, “AWE” in which he poetically blends his background in math and science together with his appreciation of the world around him.

 While taking a high school class in order to improve his writing skills, Bob was introduced to “Fireflies,” a volume of poems by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore, a renown poet, playwright, author and artist from India, had the gift of writing profound thoughts using very few words.

As Bob read the book, one “firefly” in particular struck him: “Let my love like sunlight surround you and yet give you illumined freedom.” ( “Fireflies,” Tagore) The verse gave him a revelation of his childhood, of being surrounded by loving people who encouraged him to explore the world around him, engaging his imagination and stimulating his curiosity. Those simple words brought everything together for him.

Bob’s teacher took an interest in him, agreeing to meet weekly outside of class. He continued writing through college and grad school, keeping a journal in which he jotted down thoughts and poems, while working toward a Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering.

After working for many years at Bell Telephone Laboratories, he became a professor of engineering at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, also his alma mater! Many technical reports, papers and books were authored during his tenure at Wayne State. In his own words:

“I have always been a curious soul

 Why and try the obvious goals

 I strive to remember

make notes and observe

through image and word

how a moment in time

sublime or absurd

brought wonder and awe

through a noun or a verb” (AWE, by Robert Erlandson, p.1)

Now in his retirement, Bob spends a great deal of time at the computer creating digital images. He is a master of short, profound poems somewhat like Tagore, often inserting a three lined poem into an image. Writing, sketching and painting also give him great delight.

Bob’s mother used to claim that on the morning he was born, the song “Oh What a Beautiful Morning,” was being played! And that was how he was introduced to a world of awe and wonder. “I don’t need to know the laws of physics to experience awe as I watch the sunset color over Lake Michigan. But for me, understanding the physics that produces the color show adds another dimension to the overall feeling of awe.” (AWE p. 4)

When it was time for Bob to say a word at his daughter’s wedding reception, he had already planned on repeating that verse from the “Fireflies” poem. It was very familiar to her, having heard her dad talk about it often. No doubt she had been surrounded by his love and had experienced  “illumined” freedom while she was growing up.  

But before he had a chance to give his speech, she stood up and quoted the same verse from Tagore, expressing the desire that it would become a reality in her marriage! Bob cried!

 God shows us glimpses of His glory, His radiance through the wonders of nature and science, through His love manifested in Jesus, through the pages of the Bible and through others who allow God’s love to flow through them. And when we catch those glimpses, we stand in awe!

Open our eyes, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV

                                                    Bob Erlandson, author of AWE