Where's Your Wonder?

Where’s Your Wonder?

My friends, in a continued effort to find lights in a world of seemingly ever-growing darkness, a thought has been running through my mind for weeks. I feel it’s finally time to bring it into focus. I attempt with great might to see the world and think of things like a child. Awe and wonder are things that shouldn’t only be afforded to children. When seeing something truly beautiful, I try my best to stop and appreciate it, soaking in as much as possible. Simple things, like a sunset, my son talking and laughing with his friends, or my wife sleeping in on a Saturday morning. All beautiful to me. The older I get, the less I take for granted. All of this begs the question for the week…

Where is your wonder?

Where are the things that stop you dead in your tracks found? Where are the beautiful moments located in your daily life? Admittedly, they may be harder and harder to find due to the ever-increasing cynical nature of our world. Isn’t now the time we need to seek these moments out more than ever? While watching my wife sleeping or my son laughing or my 2 rescue cats playing together are all amazing and wonderful, it is when I see strangers helping strangers that are especially magical for me. Last week I hit a deer. This was my third deer strike in the last two years. It was on a very dark dirt road and the poor deer was standing just on the other side of the crest of the hill. By the time I reached the top of the hill going no more than 25 miles per hour, I had no chance. After giving thanks that I was unhurt, I assessed the situation. It is a terrible feeling when this happens. The way the impact occurred left little doubt the deer was killed as a result of the impact. I walked back and found the little doe and offered another prayer. As I sat there, pulled over with emergency hazards flashing, waiting for the police to arrive, wonder happened. People began stopping. A homeowner came out and asked if I was ok. Strangers pulling over to check on me. There was minimal damage to my pickup truck, but taking the life of another living thing is never an easy thing and I felt terrible. It must have been all over my face, because several who stopped said things like, “It’s not your fault buddy” or, “Glad your alright.” It was an older couple that stopped that truly made me appreciate the wonder they offered. The woman in the passenger seat leaned across her husband and said, “sometimes the damage to the vehicle isn’t as bad as how we feel inside after something like this happens.” She saw right through me and after I choked out a “thank you for stopping” comment I was in tears. Killing that poor deer was one thing, but all the people who stopped to check on me coupled with the comments of that angel brought it all out. How we feel inside. A sad moment was turned wonderful by a stranger offering me comfort. I wish I got her and her husband’s names.

My friends, wonder is all around us. Sometimes it’s common occurrences like beautiful sunsets. Other times, it’s beautiful people offering uncommon wisdom. Who are the wonders in your life? Who routinely supplies wonder for you? Please do me a favor and get their names. Thank them. As you make a list of the wonderful people in your life, let me ask this question. How many lists are you on? Who thinks of you when they think of wonder? My hope, my wish, and my challenge for each of us is to grow the number of lists we are on for others. Simple gestures, a kind smile, being believable and sincere. All ways we can show wonder and light to people who often find themselves in the dark, on a back country road after something terrible has happened. Who is your wonder? Who are you a wonder for? This world seems to be growing sadder by the day. We are in desperate need of more light. More wonder. Dear friends, let wonder in. Appreciate. Appreciate like a child. My truck will get fixed in January. All those lights who stopped to check on me, and one very special couple fixed me shortly after the terrible happened. Thank you.

Steve Gwisdalla is a Dexter resident and the Owner, Chief Light Seeker, Vice President of Darkness Defeating, and Head Happiness Officer for Better Place Consulting, a success coaching firm. Reach out to him if you need a little light at steve@betterplacemgmt.com.