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I saw this awhile back and it came to mind again today. As with so many things we see passed around the Internet, whether or not it really occurred is anyone’s guess. However, the point it makes is still poignant – especially over a weekend when so many of us must decide whether to be ‘present’ or not – present with ourselves, others, God and nature.
The story is as follows: A group of Geography students studied the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of that section, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes:
- Egypt’s Great Pyramids
- Taj Mahal
- Grand Canyon
- Panama Canal
- Empire State Building
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- China’s Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, ‘Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.’ The Teacher said, ‘Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.’ The girl hesitated, then read aloud, ‘I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
- To touch
- To taste
- To see
- To hear
…hesitating she continued…
5. To run
6. To laugh
7. And to Love’
I guess the point is that this weekend all of us have access to some of the greatest wonders the world has to offer – and they didn’t come from our peers, either. If we choose to be attuned to these things, I’m thinking that no matter how our week has been, we will experience delight, gratitude, love, empathy and compassion in ways often not recovered by living rote lives given to the tyranny of the good – but in the present moment something much greater than good extends itself to us all.
Have a great weekend!
6 comments to “Seven Wonders to Contemplate”
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It is the power of that “wonder”, that present moment awareness that engages our imagination. Our imagination to paint a whole new world on the canvas. It is the observer seeing the Reality of Beauty. I often think we don’t even see Beauty,
we look for things to validate our idea of Beauty in our minds. Beauty for some is a preprogrammed response. We can’t see the All in All because we
have so conditioned to what “All” is. We are so
conditioned to what is Good that we miss the beauty of the present moment. Thank for reminder to see things afresh! -
Love it Tim. That is a great reminder to the everyday.
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Oh, this is yummy!
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Great insights, Tim. A wonderful perspective for daily living. Reminds me of something a wise, soft-spoken Native Hawaiian healer, Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell (he was also a licensed physician), once told me:
“Pray every day. Meditate every day. Laugh every day. Spend an hour with someone you love and fill your life with purpose.”
With all of his medical training and education, that was his prescription for healthy living.
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That was wonderful. It made me cry, but they were tears of gratitude and awe.
Thank you for this.
Love this!
Will look at the ‘wonders’ in my house with more awe now.