Wonder

I was listening to the radio while driving when a segment called "Striking a Chord" came on. There doesn't appear to be a link to the sound byte, unfortunately, but they were talking with singer Natalie Merchant about her song "Wonder". She explained that she had met a severely physically handicapped girl years ago, who talked about how her adoptive parents changed her life and gave her quality of life, and that she was able to do much more than anyone had ever expected her to do as a result of their love and support.

Merchant went on about how the song became an anthem of sorts, for many people. She attended a graduation at the Perkins School for the Blind, and a mother of one of the graduates came to her and told her about how she remembered sitting in the nursery in the middle of the night, in the dark, feeding her son who everyone told her would not be able to live a full life like a seeing child would. She would listen to the song while rocking her baby, and today, the kid has travelled the world and more.

Merchant had met doctors who have entered countless rooms to meet their child patients, and that many of them had the lyrics to "Wonder" posted above their beds. Another brain surgeon told her that she played the song while performing surgery.

Pretty cool how a child can inspire a song-writer who then goes onto to inspire so many more people.

"Wonder"

Doctors have come from distant cities
Just to see me
Stand over my bed
Disbelieving what they're seeing

They say I must be one of the wonders
Of god's own creation
And as far as they can see they can offer
No explanation

Newspapers ask intimate questions
Want confessions
They reach into my head
To steal the glory of my story

They say I must be one of the wonders
Of god's own creation
And as far as they can see they can offer
No explanation

O, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way

People see me
I'm a challenge to your balance
I'm over your heads
How I confound you and astound you
To know I must be one of the wonders
Of god's own creation
And as far as you can see you can offer me
No explanation

O, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as she came to my mother
Know this child will not suffer
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way