Focus On

One of my favourite parenting stages was in the kindergarten years. These years were filled with conversations about the wondrous things my children were discovering. A walk to the end of the street could take up to an hour as my child stopped to examine, touch, hold and point at their new discoveries. A child at this age is filled with awe and wonder at their surroundings.  

“Awe can be defined as ‘a feeling of amazement and transcendence in response to        something vast (or small) that challenges our understanding of the world'.” (Bourke, 2024) 

At MECS we believe that we are made in the image of God to be Awe Dwellers, connecting with creation and our Creator in order to flourish, however, this frequently competes with the many distractions thrown at our young people from culture, media and peers.  

“The growth of technology use and, especially digital entertainment has reduced our teenagers’ exposure to the awe-inspiring experiences of the natural world. The phrases ‘awe deprivation’ and ‘nature deficit disorder’ have been introduced to describe the impact this reduced exposure has on young people. There is a suggestion that this is contributing to the increasing stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues amongst young people.” (Louv, 2008). 

We don't want our graduates to just have learned ABOUT the creation but to appreciate it and have drawn closer to God through it. There is a quote from Albert Einstein on the wall outside our science building, part of which says;  

"When we look at the world and the cosmos, we are like a little child walking into a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how."​ 

​We want our students to have experiences that get them to that place of knowing and being drawn to their Creator​. 

Built into our secondary program are opportunities for our students to experience creation and have time to reflect on the amazing order, scale and intricacy of it as well as simply enjoy it. Our camping program from Years 7-11 immerses students in creation whether they are on the water at Year 7 camp, climbing the peaks of Wilson's Prom in Year 8 or travelling overseas to Indonesian villages in Year 10.  

​But what about outside of school? I recall my own Dad interrupting our teenage laziness on many a Sunday afternoon with the words “come on, we’re going for a family walk”. With much pushback from his 4 children, he then drove us up to the majestic Dandenongs and took us on a bush walk that we never knew we needed but we always came home happier, healthier and having had a wonderful chat or creative game along the way. ​We are designed to connect with and enjoy creation as part of God's design for us to flourish on earth.​ Researchers like Louv and Bourke are highlighting what God always knew we needed for our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. Research is clear that time spent in God’s creation reduces stress and anxiety, improves mood, lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular fitness.​ 

How can you build times into your family routine for Awe Dwelling? Some ideas are in the Parents website article I have referenced below. Will your teenagers ask you for it?​ No. Will your teenagers thank you for it?​ Probably not. But will it shape them in the image of Christ?​ Yes! Will it help them flourish?​ Absolutely! 

After writing this article – I think I’ll take a walk 😊 

Emma Allison 

Head of Secondary 

References 

Bourke, D. (2024, May 14). Cultivating a sense of awe and wonder in children. The Parents Website. https://theparentswebsite.com.au/cultivating-a-sense-of-awe-and-wonder-in-children/ 

Louv, R. (2008). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from nature-deficit Disorder. Atlantic books.