Igniting Awe

ANDREA WENET & THE SOTE STORY

The Path to SOTE

In 1981, my search for the perfect graduate school luckily led me to the University of Washington in Seattle. As the plane started its descent, my heart jumped out of my chest when I spotted Mount Rainier. I was transfixed by the beauty and wonder of the massive, snow covered peak. Instantaneously, I transformed from my Midwestern roots to a spirited Pacific Northwest pioneer. This first profound encounter with awe set the stage for a lifetime of adventuring while endlessly seeking a life of meaning and purpose.

Year laters I witnesses my son Simon, then 5, transformed by awe. We arrived at the home of one of his schoolmates for a play date. Outside, peering into the living room window, Simon stood frozen. He was mesmerized by a colossal 3,000-pound quartz crystal cluster they had on display. His eyes widened in amazement as awe turned into wonder, sparking a cascade of curiosities. This experience led to a life-long appreciation for the natural world.

An Vision Takes Root

In 2017, guided by a series of serendipitous events, I found myself in the midst of an industrial warehouse filled with giant crystals. There I experienced a profound sense of awe akin to Simon’s first crystal encounter and my first sighting of Mt Rainier. I was able to share this experience with hundreds of friends and family, each time confirming a recurring pattern: awe humbles and captivates us, it quiets our insides while connecting us to the vast mysteries of the universe.

I then immersed myself into academic research on the science of awe, which substantiated what I have felt and witnessed.

This journey has layed the ground for SOTE. The SOTE experience will provide an all access pathway to awe in Seattle’s core to help alleviate the urban awe deficit.