There are few songs in my performances that I didn’t write. “What a Wonderful World”, written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss is one that I could have easily written from the expression of my own grateful heart. The only difference would be that this song repeats several times that “I think to myself, what a wonderful world”. I guess that the fact that I’m singing it means that I not only think these words to myself, rather I really want to shout this sentiment. Ideally, I’d sing this to move the world, to move YOU, as well.
It truly IS a wonderful world! Looking around me I have a choice of what to see. I can see all the frightening and sad realities, all the reasons to cower from the gifts of the world or I can see the beauty and blessings of the world. I am surrounded by all sorts of negativity, really. I could be motivated by news broadcasts, my cluttered home, that new wrinkle that I’ve seen in the mirror, the aches in my hands after I’ve played my guitar too many hours…But, I choose instead to see the special spirits of the patients that I care for. I see the beautiful smiles of my caring daughters as they look to me for guidance. I see the peaceful eyes of my mother who has been through so much this year. I see the needy and loving eyes as my dogs look up into mine. I hear and see the hopeful signs of Spring, all around, the doves calling from the roof crests, the budding trees, the greening grass, the Spring breezes…
While I was in Mexico this past week, I saw several hundred dancing dolphins right in front of my condo next to the sea! There was a grey whale right in the middle of this frolicking fiesta. I couldn’t believe my fortune to be looking at the sea while learning “What a Wonderful World” and be hit in the face by such an incredible sight!
This is such a quiet expression, a song of inner peace. And though it’s so understated, such an expression of calm, I hope that it leads you to open your eyes….LOOK! Over there! Isn’t it AMAZING?! Can you beLEIVE it? HOW WONDERFUL is this world that we live in. I just know that YOU, as I, have over looked something awesome…something that surrounds us each and every day. How wonderful the life we’ve been given. What a truly wonderful world.
Sing this at my funeral…