"Sonder: The Realization That Everyone Has A Story" by John Koenig

Last year I posted about the marvelous John Koenig, author of THE DICTIONARY OF OBSCURE SORROWS, a book of neologisms to express new terms for subtle emotions. One of his words in particular, was meaningful to me.

sonder - n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Koenig made a short video to illustrate the concept of this word and it is lovely and moving.

There are more video illustrations of his words at his Youtube channel.

"Sonder" reminds me of the incredible, life-changing film "Wings of Desire" (previously here) by auteur Wim Wenders. When I first saw this film in 1987, I was literally awestruck and truly emotionally devastated by its scope of humanity and the clear presence of the "animus mundi" in the story. For the first nearly ten or fifteen minutes, we follow a pair of angels as they listen in on the voice of humanity itself, going from person to person, hearing thoughts of love, pettiness, despair, hope, regret, and forgiveness from men, women, young and old. I wept openly through that stunning and powerful opening sequence, overwhelmed by the force of so much existence, so much life, so much sorrow and so much joy (listening in, through an angel, to the thoughts of a dying motorcyclist who has just been in an auto accident is heart-rending). And by extension, not just now, but in the past and the time humanity has left.

https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/

10 Emotions You've Felt But Had No Name For

John Koenig is the marvelous author of THE DICTIONARY OF OBSCURE SORROWS, a book of neologisms to express new terms for subtle emotions. His made up words are combinations of word roots from languages all around the world. While the words themselves might sound clinical, their definitions are lyrical and touching. I have felt a few of these and am happy to know others have too...and that we finally have names for them, thanks to Koenig's imagination!

1. Chrysalism
[kris-a-lizim] The feeling of tranquility when you’re indoors when it’s raining heavily outside.

2. Lilo
[ly-lo] The friendship between two people who feel as if no time has passed when they see each other after a long period of separation.

3. Sonder
[son-der] The realization that every stranger and passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. That each person is occupied by their own personal ambitions, worries, and problems.

4. Monachopsis
[mo-na-kop-sis] The inability to adapt to your surroundings and the feeling of being out of place.

5. Eramnesia
[eram-nee-ja] The realization that you were born in the wrong time period, wishing you lived in another time.

6. Anemoia
[an-em-oh-ya] The feeling of nostalgia for a time or place that you have never experienced.

7. Pâro
[pah-ro] The feeling that no matter what you do, you’re doing it wrong.

8. Xeno
[zee-noh] The powerful moments shared between random strangers, such as a smile or a laugh, which reduce feelings of loneliness.

9. Acatalepsy
[aka-ta-lep-sy] The apparent impossibility of humans ever comprehending the universe.

10. Liberosis
[lib-ero-sis] The desire to care less about things, to feel less.

https://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/
And you can buy the book here on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Obscure-Sorrows-John-Koenig-ebook/dp/B08VJMFFRB?ref_=ast_author_mpb