Soup, Salad, and Soul is a student-led group that meets every Friday from 12:15-1:00 p.m. in the Bodman Lounge of the Helen Hills Hills Chapel. We always have an amazing home cooked meal by three student chefs. In this series, I will explore the topics we discussed at each meeting, taking quotes from students and thinking through my own relationship to the topic. In each piece, Fallon Sullivan ’28 will examine the ways in which the conversation changed perspectives and emotions, for both herself and others.
For our first week, we had a fall themed meal and discussed the topic of wonder and awe, led by Keerthana Venkatarama ‘27.
To begin, we all discussed a recent time where we felt wonder. The answers ranged, but included moments like noticing the beauty of the world around us, like sunsets, berries, stars, Paradise Pond, Lamont lawn, bugs under leaves, the trees transitioning into fall, and the beautiful weather.
From the SCMA website, Untitled (three women, hand dresses) by Michael Kameni
People also talked about a variety of experiences, like getting to know new people, saying hi to strangers, seeing live music, watching others audition, looking at art (especially the new exhibit at the Smith College Museum of Art by Michael Kameni that features photographs of Cameroon after independence), talking to friends and family through technology, reading poetry, seeing “KINDNESS” on a t-shirt, appreciating your education, supporting your friends, and realizing that you have found joy and happiness in your life.
When Keerthana asked about how wonder feels in the body, it was an amazing opportunity to reflect on the sensations in our bodies that we don’t often notice. One student described it as the feeling of taking in a deep breath. Many students saw it as a feeling of slowness, taking a second to notice the need to remain present in a moment and reminding yourself that things are ok, or they soon will be. Other students mentioned getting goosebumps, or a warm tingling energy that starts in the ribcage and moves upwards through the body. Students also noticed the other emotions that wonder is tied to, like curiosity, contentment, connection, love, and nostalgia.
Majestic Tree on Smith’s campus
We closed by thinking about how we could take these experiences of awe with us throughout our busy and stressful days. Vivian ‘28 mentioned training yourself to search for wonder when we are feeling overwhelmed. Hannah Rae AC’27 talked about how being around children helps them see wonder in the world, saying that “children have to trust and have to have hope,” a feeling that many adults have unfortunately lost throughout the years. Rinny ‘28 stressed the importance of being an observer and encouraged us to be open to the experiences without judging them, telling us that “things are the most ugly when you look with your brain.” A lot of people brought up the ways that the cruelty of the world has hurt their ability to feel awe, wonder, joy, and other positive emotions. For me, I felt a sense of wonder when thinking about being able to connect with people over these often painful topics. If we are able to communicate and truly listen to others, not only can we make a positive change, but we can also share the experience of wonder and bring it to others. I left this meeting with a deep feeling of connection and joy at the thought of bringing these experiences to others.