What a Wonderful World

The groom stood and went to his sister, reaching out his hand for a dance. What a Wonderful World was the selected song, and they clung to each other for dear life as they swayed back and forth. I knew enough about their stories to know that moment was poignant. The blending of music and backstory was beyond anyone’s full comprehension. 

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

Between them, they’d lost both parents to addiction, suffered with it themselves, been to prison and, I’m sure, endured many other hardships, but on this day, they were holding each other tight and swirling to the words and music. 

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

 I once believed in God so my life would go my way and be wonderful. I thought an all-loving God would fill my days with rainbows, colorful reminders of God’s presence, as I made my way down the joyful and trouble-free pathway of life. It was a God of my own making, a life of my fantasy, with God “up there” and my pleasure God’s only concern. No wonder when life’s struggles arrived I struggled to survive.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you

This morning the sunrise was spectacular. Electric reds and yellows reflecting off the clouds of last night’s storm. It was the kind of morning that makes belief in God easy, and yet I realized the sunrise was spectacular because the sun reflected off the clouds from the earlier storm. The magnificence was due to a blending or sunlight and clouds.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

After the music was over, the brother and sister clung to each other for a moment longer. They said nothing but spoke volumes about clouds and sunlight . . . about pain and joy . . . about forgiveness and love.

Yes, I think to myself what a wonderful world.