I wonder at the
wind--we can't see it or touch it, but there it is, and this
unseen, untouchable thing can give us a beautiful soft breeze or
be one of the most destructive forces on the planet.
I wonder at the
sunlight, which has traveled millions of miles just to be with
us. The light that warms my skin and nourishes the plants
left the sun eight minutes ago in order to travel the 93 million
miles to get here.
I wonder at the
songs of birds, who share their voices with us all the time,
asking nothing in return. Even without harmony or rhythm,
their songs are beautiful and amazing.
I wonder at the
many wonderful people who spend their lives helping others.
Many risk their lives to provide that help, and what they do is
simply amazing. Doctors, researchers, emergency personnel,
teachers--the list is almost endless.
I wonder when I
look at the things on my desk. The books have been inspired
by some, written by someone else, edited by others, printed by
someone else, distributed by yet others, stocked in the store by
another person, and sold to me by someone else. And so it is
with everything here--their existence can be traced through an
incredible number of people, all of whom have worked to bring it
to me. I
wonder when I turn on a light. From the vast chain of people
involved in producing the light bulb and getting it to me, to the
chain of people involved in producing the electricity and making
it available to the home in which I live, the fact that I can flip
a little switch and get light is nothing short of a miracle to me. You
see, in these days when so many people claim that no more miracles
happen, there are many amazing miracles happening every single
day, in every single moment. We are incredibly blessed with
an amazing world, and our lives will be much richer the more that
we allow ourselves to maintain the sense of wonder that we were
born with--it's that sense of wonder that keeps open the door to
appreciation, and the appreciation that allows us to feel
gratitude. This
world is a wonderful place, and it's up to us to see that wonder,
to feel it, and to let it be an important part of who we
are. The wonder is always there--the only question is
whether we notice it and allow ourselves to feel that
wonder. Sometimes it takes practice to get back to a point
at which we can, but it's time and effort well spent.
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