Wonder Four: Standing up for what you believe in

I heard something really funny today: "Three words to fix the economy, gay bridal registry." I literally laughed out loud at this one. As someone who has a gay best friend, I can attest to the truth of this statement.

I believe in everyone's right to love, no matter the gender or race. I have an amazing marriage and want that for everyone. I will always support a president who doesn't govern based on one religion. If we allow the leader of the free world to rule based on religious principles that haven't evolved for over 2000 years we are no better than our enemies.

So President Barack Obama, I applaud you and your decision to stand up for what you believe in - publicly.

Wonder Three: Proving 'em wrong

I saw this video on one of my friends Facebook pages. I don't need to say much about it because the video does a great job of telling the story. "Just because I can't do something today doesn't mean I can't do it."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU0BzZlwU4o

Wonder Two: An Inspirational Presentation

Mr. Maxwell is one of my favorite leadership writers and speakers. I recently saw his presentation at the  Chick-fil-A LeaderCast here in Atlanta. If you haven’t read “Talent Is Never Enough” do yourself a favor and download it ASAP.

During his presentation he said something really profound, "Your choices make you." So I started to think about some of the choices I have made in my life. Naturally, there are a few I regret. But there are some that have come to define the person I am. 

What governs the choices we make? I believe having a personal creed or motto to live by, similar to personal brand values, will help someone stay on a righteous course. My personal motto is always leave it better than how you found it, whatever "it" maybe.

Whenever I start to steer from the path I have created for myself I always come back to this phrase. Whenever I am having a hard time making a big decision I always come back to this phrase. Whenever I start to doubt my decision I always come back to this phrase. My motto has guided me for the past five years and I think I am doing pretty good. 

So what motto do you live by?

Wonder One: Stop and smell the...magnolias

Last Thursday was a busy day at work. It started off with a terrible commute into the city with lots of traffic and traffic lights out. So of course I was late and worrying about all the work I had to accomplish before I left for a four-day vacation with the hubby.

Although I have a long commute into work I also consider it serene. The last ten minutes are through an old area of Buckhead with turn of the century classic antebellums. The streets are lined with magnolia and sycamores trees, a true southern tradition. I’m telling you all this to get to my wonder of the day.

I finished my workday with at least 10 things left on my to do list but for once I didn’t care. As I stepped out of my office building there was the most fragrant smell in the air. With an extra skip in my step (did I mention how excited I was about my vacation) I got into my car and took off only to realize the traffic lights still weren’t working. What I didn’t know at the time was that this inconvenience would bring me my wonder of the day.

On my home, I noticed that the magnolia trees that lined the streets were blooming, the obviously culprit of the fragrant smell. Unfortunately, because I was too busy worrying about getting to work in the morning I didn’t even notice them. But luckily on my way home I was stuck in traffic and able to roll down my windows to take a whiff. It took an extra 30 minutes to get home but for those 30 minutes I was able to stop and smell the…the magnolias.

Moral of the story: Sometimes those inconveniences that make you want to scream are the ones that can bring you an unexpected moment of peace.

A delay in the wonders

In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best idea to start a blog the day before I left for a vacation, my first vacation in three years I'll add. Surprisingly, I did not do an ounce of work while I was gone. On a normal weekend I do at least two hours of work a day, so this was something to get use to but I definitely embraced it.

But now I owe y’all some really great wonders. I want to thank you for your patience my wonderlusters. Here are five great observations from the last week. I hope they bring you some inspiration. 

The Wondrous World

Ever since I read a story summarizing a social experiment with one of the world’s most famous and recognized violinist, Joshua Bell, I have wanted to start this blog.  In case you aren’t familiar with the story here is what you need to know: Joshua Bell played his violin for a busy crowd in a Washington DC train station. In the 45 minutes he played only six people stopped and listened to him play for a bit. While this story remains unconfirmed, it really got me thinking.

We are all busy trying to live our lives, take care of our responsibilities, and if we are lucky, sometimes we get a moment to ourselves. We tend to forget to look at the wonder this world brings. Recently, I made it a point to find something or someone that surprises me, makes me think, makes me smile, or makes me laugh EVERYDAY.

I am like any other human being on this planet, sleep and time deprived, trying to make a name for myself and trying to do some good in this world. I am, in no particular order:

1. Workaholic

2. Animal activist

3. Greyhound and classic car enthusiast

4. Writer (sometimes I even get paid for it)

5. Florida girl at heart

6. Firefighter wife

7.  Gun toter

8. Nervous Nellie

9. Personal safety obsessed

10. Trucker mouth

11.  Road rager

12. Knows over 100 stock ticker symbols

13. Costco enthusiast

14. Music diversified

15.  Ocean lover

16. Vegetarian

17 Germaphobic

18. Enemy of personal space invaders

19. Outspoken and opinionated

20. Great listener and sympathizer

This blog is dedicated to the wonder of life and the wonder of the world, and those moments that give us a new perspective. Everyday I will post a wondrous observation, whether big or small. My hope is that you too will share with me, and the rest of the world, your wondrous experiences.