Turn on your wondervision

 

 

Do you remember the song It’s a Wonderful World, sung most memorably by Louie Armstrong? Can you hear the mellow strains of his voice as he sings, “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world?”  

Do you still see the wonder in this world? I notice that my wonder tends to wander? Or maybe it’s just waned over the years.

 

As we age, many things lose their edge, and I’m afraid wonder might be one of them. But just as we can do something to sharpen the dulled edges that aging can bring, like getting a pair of glasses to help us read and drive better, we can do the same for wonder.

 

If you do not see as much wonder in this world as you did as a wide-eyed child, it might be time for a wonder-vision check-up. It could help you start seeing the uplifting, enchanting kind of wonder that inspires and comforts you.

 

• You’ll see wonder that comes dressed in delight.
• You’ll witness it rise up as magic and marvelous moments in the middle of pandemonium.
• It will bring you glimmers of hope in the darkness.

 

Or maybe a wonder-vision check-up will reveal that you just need a minor adjustment—of your attitude. Here’s a story to illustrate that.

 

A 70-year-old grandfather and his seven-year-old grandson decided to play word association. Their word was October.

 

Grandpa’s associations with October were: dark too early… too many leaves to rake… getting too close to winter…annoying trick-or-treaters…frost…dead summer flowers…rotting pumpkins…early snow!

 

His grandson came up with: Halloween candy…fun costumes…leaf piles to jump in…apple orchards…carving pumpkins…beautiful tree colors…corn mazes…hot apple cider…early snow!

 

Do you see the difference? Where exactly does the wonder go as we grow up? Is it buried under the leaves we are raking? Do we lose it in the hustle and bustle of trying to figure out how much Halloween candy to buy or whether we’ll pretend not to be home that night?

 

This month, take time to find the wonder. Take a break from any drudgery on your autumn to-do list, your Halloween decision-making, and your dislike of the colder and darker times this season brings. Instead, play word association as though you were seven again. Let the words take you back to a time when you could see, feel, hear, smell, and taste the wonder of the season.

 

Your turn. October….