The Other Seven Wonders
A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present “Seven Wonders of the World.” Though there were some disagreements, the following received 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 had not finished 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:
To See
To Hear
To Touch/to feel
To Taste
To Smell
To Laugh
To Love.”
The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous!
(Joy Garrison Wasson)
PONDER AND CONSIDER
A beautiful and powerful reminder of all that we so often take for granted in our lives that’s right under our noses, or just above… (pun intended!)
“People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.”
– AUGUSTINE
BLESSING FOR THE SENSES
A POEM
May your body be blessed.
May you realize that your body is a faithful
and beautiful friend of your soul.
And may you be peaceful and joyful
and recognize that your senses
are sacred thresholds.
May you realize that holiness is
mindful, gazing, feeling, hearing, and touching.
May your senses gather you and bring you home.
May your senses always enable you to
celebrate the universe and the mystery
and possibilities in your presence here.
May the Eros of the Earth bless you.
– John O’Donohue
A RITUAL
In my eyes blessing
In my hearing blessing
In my lips blessing
In my touch blessing
In my smelling blessing
In my mind blessing
May my life bring blessing to the Earth.
Amen.
To anoint oneself for the above blessing: Both hands together touch the eyes, the ears, the lips, come together palm to palm for touch, touch the nose, touch the head, palms to the top of the head; then for life the arms cross the chest and for bringing blessing to the Earth the arms open wide. To anoint another, change the pronoun to “your” as you recite. (Daniel McGill in Forty Nights: Creation Centered Night Prayer)
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