Wonders and wondrous things of this world

If I recall it correctly the story goes something like this. A class of junior high school students were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

Egypt's Great Pyramids

The Taj Mahal in India
The Grand Canyon in Arizona
The Panama Canal
The 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.

Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."

And the teacher encouraged the girl to share her list and that perhaps the class could help her out. The girl hesitated, then read, I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: to touch...  to taste... to see...   to hear... to feel... to laugh... and to love.

The room fell quiet and the teacher smiled. And perhaps she also learned something.

I believe it’s no wonder why those things are the most overlooked gifts in the world. Because we take them from granted – unless they are taken from us.

My take for what it's worth? Much of our focus today is a blurry tunnel vision of contrived and knee-jerk reactions – social, political and otherwise – which polarize many of us. Closer to home, the dark side of recent wondrous things propelling me into red-herring thoughts.

•  The media-fueled brouhaha over Chick-Fil-A. Don’t like the owner’s views, then kill your own cluckers and cook away. And if you do support those views, buy them in bulk and let it be. The real reason why the chicken crossed the road was to get away from stupidity. If nothing else, sign a truce and align yourselves to
•        Think Obama is writing checks our future cannot cash? Is Romney too rich and completely out of touch? Has your congressional representative spent too much time sipping from the foul Potomac?  Do something radical: register to vote in November and then actually show up at the polls. You might not like the results, but at the least you will have done something a majority of eligible voters fail to do. Message to extremist movement followers: Please sip your tea quietly or set your sights on getting a job rather occupying public places.

• God. Unfortunately, the Almighty has too many self-professed flacks from all faiths and followings. If your job description requires you to kill in his or her or its name; heartlessly discriminate and persecute others; and repress free will, then it’s likely your deity was ordained through a mail-order company. God is still speaking – unfortunately sometimes it seems to be lost in our translations.

The real wonders of our world are right there in front of us. So simple to see and experience. To touch, taste, see, hear, feel. laugh, and to love. 

Dare  we sense and embrace them?