A unique DN emotion: existential awe
Had a great convo with another DN recently about a weird emotion I’ve never had a word for until recently.. which we called existential awe.
The more you travel, the more possible lives you become aware of. Different cities, routines, friend groups, relationships, careers, versions of yourself.
It creates this mix of awe and... weirdly...sadness. Awe because the world feels so big and alive. Sadness because you realize you only get to live one life and nomading, as incredible as it is, probably can’t last forever. It's a super weird feeling.
It's kind of like being sad on a trip that's only just begun because you know it is going to end one day.
I read a quote recently I loved though: it's not about the experiences you collect, it's about fully living the ones you choose.
Anyone else feel this sometimes? Existential awe? (Or dread, lol)