A group of students were asked to list what they thought the New Seven Wonders of the World which was elected by more than 100 million votes to represent global heritage throughout history as announced at the Declaration Ceremony on July 7th, 2007. Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes as it is official now: The Pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico, Christ Redeemer Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, The Roman Colosseum, Italy, The Great Wall, China, Machu Picchu, Peru, Petra, Jordan, and The Taj Mahal, India. While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.” The girl hesitated, then read: “I think the New Seven Wonders of the World are: To see, To hear, To smell, To touch, To feel, To laugh, And to love.” The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. They knew that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wonders!
For the past one year, I have taught 7th grade PSR. One day I asked, “What would you like to do when you grow up?” They answered, “I want to go to college, get married and have children.” “I want to make lots of money.” “I want to be very successful in terms of my career and finance.” And I heard this from my priest friend. He asked the same question to his eight-year old first communicants, “What would you like to be when you grow up?” They said they wanted to be medical doctors that six answered the same out of seven children and one writer.