Friday Inspiration

The following words are not my own, nor do I know who the author is.  It has been published on various inspirational websites.  I originally received it as a chain-mail letter in college and was so inspired by it that I saved it in my files and return to it every so often to remember that although we marvel at grand buildings and works of art, the most wondrous things in the world are those which we carry within and amongst ourselves every day. 

"A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter’s Basilica
7. China’s Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student 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, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch
2. to taste
3. to see
4. to hear

She hesitated a little, and then added…

5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love

The room was so full of silence you could have heard a pin drop. Those things we overlook as simple and “ordinary” are truly wondrous. A gentle reminder that the most precious things in life cannot be bought."

This weekend when you are sitting down with your morning coffee or chasing the kid through the house trying to get them ready for their soccer games, stop for a moment and savor your ability to hear the laughing, to see the beauty of the sun shining through the trees, to smell the sweet cinnamon rolls baking in the oven, to feel the good-morning hugs and kisses, and to love your family as much as you do.  Then you can rest knowing that you have experienced the greatest wonders of the world.