The countdown had just begun on the dropping of the ball in Times Square when I switched channels from the beautiful music on PBS. All eyes were fixed on the lighted ball, and a huge chorus of voices counted. A cheer went up when the numbers 2015 were flashed and a new year was launched. I had chill bumps. Then we sang Auld Lang Syne – the crowd in Times Square and probably millions of people watching in their homes. The mood was hope and joy. The cameras captured people smiling and kissing and waving. Then I became conscious of the music playing. Louis Armstrong was singing his famous rendition of “What a Wonderful World.” I relaxed into attentive listening. That is an all-time favorite for me for several reasons. Next I heard the same tune sung in a different style by a different voice. What a Wonderful World – all over again. What a stroke of genius for the planners of this majpr cultural event! We were beginning 2015 with praise. For people who want to weave prayer into the tapestry of life, here it was for us. The ball drops, the lights flash, and we sing praise. In case you don’t remember the words, here they are:
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.
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.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky are also on the faces of people passing by, I see friends shakin’ hands, sayin’, “How do you do!” They’re really sayin’ “I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow. They’ll know much more than I’ll ever know and I think to myself What a wonderful world. Yes, I think to myself What a wonderful world.
What a wonderful prayer prompt for beginning the new year! Thank you George David Weiss and Bob Thiele and Louis Armstrong and the planners of last nights event.
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