My Grandfather's Favorite Song

Wonderful World

From left to right: Aunt Lil, Grandma Mora, Grandpa Mora

            I never got the chance to meet any of my grandparents, but the stories I hear from my parents allow me know them as if they were still alive. My grandfather (on my dad's side) was a very interesting man. He was a boxer, a chef, a lotto winner and a military man (as a navy officer, he once escorted President Nixon through the rain holding up his umbrella). With all these titles under his belt, most importantly he was an appreciative man.

"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.."

            One thing that I found very interesting about my grandfather was that his favorite song of all time was “Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. Whenever I stop and listen to the words of this song, I imagine looking at the world through my grandfather’s eyes. I learn to appreciate the wonders and beauty this whole world has to offer. With all the hustle and bustle that life brings, we tend to forget that there’s always something to be grateful for; we just have to stop, look, listen and pay attention.

"I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.."

                The laws of attraction states that we tend to bring more of what we focus on. So by turning our attention on the good things we already have (what we call appreciation) we will be filled with an abundance of more of that good stuff to come.

"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"…"

            Whether this is true or not, I only know what I know… And what I know is that ever since I started practicing the art of appreciation, my life has definitely been blessed with amazing things beyond my own comprehension. I started appreciating the small things we take for granted. For example, I just spent my Saturday at the beach hanging out and simply enjoying my day. The view of the ocean is free, but I already feel wealthy being able to see it whenever I can.

"I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, 

They'll learn much more, Than I'll ever know. 

And I think to myself, What a wonderful world…"

                I also am very grateful for the relationships I share with my friends, family and myself (This wasn’t always the case either as we definitely shared some trivial moments with one another). But by learning to accept what I have and start taking care of what’s in front of me, it was no surprised that I attracted a stronger bond with all my loved ones. What was unexpected though was how powerful this skill became as I never could have foreseen the arrival of someone truly special to me; a story to be shared for another time.

 "Yes, I think to myself, What a wonderful world.

Ohh yeah."

I can see why my grandfather lived an extraordinary life because he himself had extraordinary appreciation. I hope you take this message to heart and start to give thanks to everything this universe has to offer you. You may go through a tough time, but remember that the blue sky will always be above you as a reminder from God saying, “I made this for you and only you.” 

 "If you all you pray is "Thank you", that is enough"- Oprah

Thanks for taking time to read this article..

With much appreciation,

Mike Mora