what a wonderful world

When I'm home and in need of a cure from cabin fever, I often go to Starbucks to read. A couple of weeks ago I was in need of such a cure so I found my way into one of the many local Starbucks. As I was sitting there reading, a little girl (escorted by Grandpa) bounded through the doors with all the spark of life radiating from her eyes. She was no more than three years old and had the prettiest curls. All around the coffee shop, heads lifted from books and laptops to take note of this young customer. The newcomer proceeded to prance around the store, holding some small object in her hand that she delighted in. She didn't care that people were looking at her (with smiles on their faces, of course); she just did her thing, and the joy it produced was evident in smiles and squeals of laughter. Soon after Grandpa got his drink, they left the shop. But the atmosphere had changed. That girl, in less than five minutes and without even knowing it, had left everyone in Starbucks with a smile on their face and joy in their hearts; she certainly left an impression on me (that night is still fresh in my mind after two weeks).

She reminded me of the importance of seeing the world as children naturally see it: with wonder. Wonder inspires people to learn and discover new things and to revel in the beauty and blessing of what's already around them. Taking time to delight in the small things, from buzzing bugs to budding blossoms. Or even just appreciating things like a good conversation with a friend or the ability to live in a house with AC (wouldn't want to imagine a Florida summer without it). When you look at the world through eyes of wonder, you can't help but be thankful for what you see; thankfulness brings joy along with it, and these in turn bring love - a love of life, of the people around you, and of the One who created it all.

Sometimes, though, it takes a child to remind us of this important truth: that the world is truly wonderful.

The Preface

For whoever's reading this, I suppose I ought to explain why I made this blog. I might say it's because I've often had the thought of starting a blog and finally decided to "just do it" (thanks to Nike for popularizing that phrase). I might say it's because a few of my friends started blogs in the past year, and reading their posts inspired me to create a blog of my very own. I might say it's because I've been aching for a creative outlet or that, since going off to college, I've wanted to find a better way to communicate my many experiences with family and friends. Whatever the reason, here I am writing my first post.

I hope to share of my travels in the lovely states of Florida (home) and Pennsylvania (school), of road trips to yet-to-be-determined locations elsewhere in the USA, and even to other countries when I study abroad in the spring. I also hope to share trinkets of joy and maybe even wisdom as I find them along the way. Who knows what places I'll end up and what things I'll learn. But here's to the journey - wherever it takes me.