In the book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner; he defines awe as being in the presence of something so vast that it transcends your current understanding of the world. I think of the “wow” or “ahh” response/ emotion to beautiful artwork or a sunset or sunrise. The sense of wonder he describes could also be associated with the same wonder or curiosity that is often described by those completing an asset map of their neighbourhood. Often they had no idea so much was present.

This interesting book describes the benefits of the emotion such as transformation of our brains and bodies and how cultivating awe in our everyday lives sharpens our reasoning and opens us to big ideas and insights. It is this emotion that activates our inclination to share and create strong networks. I thought of this in terms of how an asset map is completed. Is it a task to be completed in order to produce a document or a way to build connections and see the treasures in our community?