"MAKES YOU WONDER!"

Dear All of Us,

"Makes you wonder!"

 usually means just the opposite of wonder. 

The  attitude and words bespeak 

disappointment, discouragement, disapproval.

The joy of wonder cedes to frowny cynicism.


"Makes you wonder!" 

righted, though, means the opposite of the opposite.

The attitude and words bespeak 

discovery, distinction, divine delight.

Frowny cynicism cedes to the joy of pure wonder at God's creative goodness.


That sure happened to this little boy when I was eleven.

It was two wonder filled to full weeks in Washington, D.C.

as  guest of my Aunt Dot.

Those two weeks began my coming of age in wonder's embrace.

It was a cascade of wonder after another, warming, exciting,

opening my soul, mind and heart to God's beauty in so many holy communions, 

even though I didn't have those categories or words then - 

just the fresh, naked wonder!.



On her way to work my first day there, Aunt Dot dropped me off at 

The National Gallery of Art for the day with change in my pocket 

for lunch in its wonderful cafeteria.

Yes, I was only eleven, but that was the summer of 1951.

Different time, different ways.

The sheer grace and expanse of the place,

the simple magnificence of the Rotunda, halls, courtyards and galleries

stirred a sense of awe, of the sacred, in a way and depth 

I didn't know possible. 

Tagging along at the edge of a guided tour 

(I didn't have the money for it, but I sure had great hearing in those days),

transported me to times and places across our world's history.

I was introduced to the person, style, and technique 

of artist upon artist, era after era. 

Their sense of beauty, their mastery of light, color, and expression,

their textured report of Reality, 

continued to open depths and expanses of wonder to my awakening spirit. 


There was the evening concert at The Watergate 

by The United States Army Band and their rendering of 

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture complete with live cannon.

The wonder of its passion and pulsation penetrated through my body 

all the way to my soul.


There were the visits to The National Cathedral 

with its mighty Gothic arching to heaven, 

the stained glass, altar pieces, statuary, 

the music and liturgy 

transporting soul to divine mystery.


There was  the Capital and monuments of our dear land and people, 

the visits to the homes of Jefferson, Madison, Lee, and Washington,

Arlington National Cemetery, The Library of Congress, the universities

and days more of soul stirring connection 

to the felt wonder of history and heritage connecting us.


That's a touch of how it all got going never to stop for me.

All types and tones of wonder have dawned and drawn ever since then.




The arts, babies, countryside, learning, literature and poetry, music,

gnarled peasants, young lovers, science, scripture, 

sacrament, teachers, making love, autumn colorations, pasta and wine,

friends, a cup of coffee and a cosmos more of wonders 

transpose, transport us all into mystic oneness with 

All That Is - God.

It is truly divine wonder!!



How did your first make love with wonder?

Right now and together lets take time and give attentive sensitivity 

to wonder then til now.

Lets see and feel the gift given over our years and experience, 

and let awe and love have us.

Wonder is letting the deep down beauty and holiness of creation draw us 

into the Creator's Love Bed.

All we have to do is not a doing at all, but blessedly a being,

being sensitive, being gently still to awareness, being open to 

the wonder of Love's inflow then, here and now.


Given our socialized speed of everything these days,

we just need to go ahead and slow to sense and soul sensitivity.

"Be still and know I am God."  
  
         (Psalm 46:10)

All about and within is wonder filled full.

In our own way and word we get caught up in living the folk song

               "I Wonder as I Wander."

We live the prayer of the psalmist,

     "Remember the wonders God has done."

                   (Psalm 105:4)

We give the nod to good old Socrates:

      "Wonder is the beginning of wisdom."


Once we open up and catch on, so many and much simply

                   "Makes You Wonder!"



                    In God's Love.

                       John Frank

                          *****




It's sure wonder full to be together here each week.

It's sure wonder full and we are blessed each week to have 

new folks joining in here at



                        "frankly speaking"

                    spirituality for the street

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                        Be well!

                See you next week!

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