I Am in Awe of the Beauty All Around Me

Albert, the black bear who shares my apartment upon occasion, told me a story the other day that reminded me of what the word awe actually means. I have heard the word awesome used quite a lot on a regular basis, it seems. And because it is used so much, its power has been watered down (weakened).
Albert told me how as a cub (baby bear), while lost in the woods at night, he stumbled into a clearing. Feeling all alone and scared, he sat down, and looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful, clear night, not a cloud in the sky, and he could see what looked like an infinity of bright, glittering stars way up above his head. And even though he was alone and scared, he could not help but feel incredible awe at the magnificent sight above him.
When Albert told me that story, I remembered doing the same thing when I was a boy. Laying out in a field late at night, and looking up at the night sky. There have been moments in life when the beauty of the world around me has pierced my very being right through the center. I find that in those moments of awe, I also feel a great sadness. And a great joy. I will never be able to express this feeling in words the way I would like. But, I will be forever grateful, and do my best to be worthy, of this great gift of life.