What a Wonderful World

Yesterday (Friday) I was driving and heard a song that made me think of Karen. It was her favorite song - Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. I just happended upon it as I was messing with the radio (like that's new, eh?) and as soon as I heard it I stopped. To me it will always be Karen's favorite song - wait a minute it always be Karen's favorite song, right? - but to me that's how I will always remember it. It could be a bajillion other people's favorite song, but, to me, it will be Karen's. Ok I think I've gone down that road long enough- get the idea?

In case you don't know or remember the words here they are:

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin......i love you.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
Theyll learn much more.....than Ill never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world

(instrumental break)

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin...*spoken*(I ....love....you).

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
*spoken*(you know their gonna learn
A whole lot more than Ill never know)
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.

Anyway. . .the song made me think of Karen. For a time it was about missing her, for a very short time. No, what really came to mind was the way Karen viewed this "wonderful" world.

She lived life as though this life. . .this world. . .was really very wonderful. She would be the first to admit that her world. . .her heavenly world. . .is so much better, but I believe she saw just how wonderful this world is and can be.

She saw the sky as this incredible blue canvas. She saw the red roses and the trees of green. I think she noticed all these amazingly spectacular sights of this life because she took time for the little things in life. Little things like. . .

Stopping to smell the roses
Spending time with friends and family
Loving children - of all ages
Noticing the colors of the world around us
Making people laugh
Laughing at herself
Putting others first

For Karen, this is a wonderul world and she lived every minute she could appreciating it and making it wonderful for someone else.

If you're in the midst of a valley, stop. . .stop and smell some roses, smile at a stranger, call an old friend or family member, love on some children, play with them, laugh, make somene else laugh. There are a million ways to to see what a wonderful world our world actually is.

I guarantee it will change your perspective of the valley. Karen changed mine, whose will you change today?

I hope the next time you hear this song it will serve as a reminder of what a wonderful world we do live in.


What a Wonderful World,
Mike