Both awe and wonder arise from a place of profound admiration and curiosity, yet they diverge significantly in their nature. Wonder prompts us to recognize a separation from the object of our fascination, coupled with an innate dissatisfaction with our lack of understanding, which fuels our desire to explore and comprehend further. Awe, in contrast, engulfs us completely, obliterating the divide between observer and observed, engendering a sense of unity and fulfillment without the impulse for further inquiry.

And sometimes, while exploring the less-traveled paths, I stumble upon something extraordinary in the seemingly mundane - and it is in these moments that I am suddenly filled with this very special feeling, one that has so hard for me to describe. But then, while talking about something completely different, a friend of mine used a term that really stuck with me and fits this feeling so well.

Stabs of joy.