Hi there podcast listeners, it's Magna Chakrabardi, host of On Point and we've got a special first

person episode here for you. On today's main hour, we talked about the science of awe,

that wondrous, vast feeling that transcends everything you know about yourself and about what

it means to be human because it turns out that awe affects not only our souls, but also our

brains and our bodies. And during the show, we got to hear a terrific example of awe.

Every day when I walk down, I think my first sensation is the air. I take in these gulps of air

into my lungs and it's just like, it's better than coffee, it just rejuvenates you.

Now that's John Reynolds and I do envy him. He has lived in California's Yosemite National Park

his entire life. Born and raised, he says. His mother worked at the Yosemite post office for 43

years and so John grew up in Yosemite village. There's an absolutely adorable picture of him on

the Sierra News website of him as a toddler, just smiling and sitting on the steps of a Yosemite

village building. Well later, John himself joined the post office and worked there for 44 years,

10 years as postmaster and John recently retired so congratulations to him. But John says he's not

going anywhere. He's going to stay right where he is in Yosemite and continue his morning ritual.

In the first few steps from his home, he pauses, takes deep breaths and acknowledges the wonder

around him. In that 45 second walk, it just inspires me for the day because I go

man look where I work. I always turn around and look at Yosemite Falls on my way down because

Yosemite Falls was back to me as I'm walking down to the post office. It almost looks like a painting

you know. It's hard to articulate you know if there's a cascade in between the upper and

lower falls and then as you walk to the base of the lower falls you really get a sense of how

insignificant you are and how amazing Mother Nature is because of the wind that it creates, the mist.

It truly gives a sense of awe. I'm struggling to find the word sport but I don't know how many times

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