Phosphorescence: On awe, wonder and things that sustain you when the world goes dark

In order to endure, to survive trauma or even just to stay afloat when life threatens to suck us under, we need to know we are not alone.

One witness reported being able to read on deck at night, due to the bright white light of the sea, ‘like that from molten iron’.

A sense of community can also make us more resilient, not only improving our current state of mind but also protecting our mental health in the future.

We more readily commiserate with the times when life is like a boa constrictor wrapped around our windpipes, squeezing out breath; like a dark ogre stealing our joy, our purpose and our hope as we sleep; or sometimes just like a thick black airless cave with no apparent exit.

when dwarfed by an experience, we are more likely to look to one another and care for one another and feel more connected.

social connection and relationships are the single greatest predictor of health and happiness throughout your life.

The sun’s rise and the sun’s retreat bookend our days with awe.

people who regularly feel awe are more likely to be generous, helpful, altruistic, ethical and relaxed.

What can be done to nurture our inner lights, and guard them as jealously as an Olympian does a burning torch?