The Value of Sunrise

In “Thriving”, we wrote about the importance of experiencing awe and the joy of nature. One of the current joys in my life is driving my kids to school over the James River and giving the morning report on the state of the river. It’s even better right now because we catch the sunrise (7:19 AM on January 23rd!). Now, some scientists have put a value on that awe.

In the paper, the scientists showed that nature, especially at sunrise and sunset, fills us with a greater sense of awe and beauty than cities or places at midday. They also showed that people value those experiences more, in this case by about ten cents. Here’s a lay press article about the study if you want to read a digestible summary. This clever study got me thinking about how I invest my time.

I don’t always love getting up early every school day. But, it’s time with my kids and, sometimes, a moment of awe. I still remember a particularly pink and blue sky from last week. That makes the sleepiness worthwhile. I try to keep that investment in perspective as I search for those fulfilling moments in life and start in on a second cup of coffee.