It’s a Wonder-Full Life

“Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.”  EB White, author of “Charlotte’s Web”

One of my favorite words is the word “wonder,” and in particular the interplay of two of its definitions – to marvel (looking with wonder – “wow!”) and to question (I wonder – “how?”). 

This past weekend we had a friend visiting from out of state.  She previously lived in Virginia but has not been here in the spring for many years.   When I asked her how her drive (mostly interstate) had been, she said, “It was amazing!  Everything was in bloom and the redbud trees (lavender-pink blossoms) were simply incredible.  I had forgotten how beautiful spring was in Virginia!” 

I then shared with her details of my recent walk along a river near our home, where, among the many wildflowers in bloom, I found 5 different varieties of purple flowers, including some that made up her welcome bouquet.  Our excitement was contagious as we shared additional stories of our spring wonderment, of blossoms and buds, birds and bunnies, our “wow’s!” interspersed with the amazement of “how?” – every spring, like clockwork, the natural world bursts forth once again with new life.  

In her poem “Sometimes,” Mary Oliver writes about how to bring more wonder into your life, or what she calls “Instructions for living a life”:

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

This past weekend, we “lived” our lives at a whole different level through the simple gesture of sharing our spring wonderment.   All of us can bring that same wonderment into our professional lives by paying attention, being astonished, and telling about it, starting with your PeerRx partner.  By pursuing meaningful relationships to “marvel and question” and share together, you can be sure that you are truly “living” a wonder-full life.  And that is the gift not only of spring, but of every day.