Date: 11 September 2008 (Thu)
Time: 7.40pm
Venue: Rm 1.08 KDU College
Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to D’Utama Advanced Toastmasters Club!
The other day I was having tea with my 13-year-old niece when she suddenly started jumping excitedly in her seat. “Debbie jie jie, Debbie jie jie, let me tell you a story.” Before I could say anything, she began,
“One day, a teacher asked her students to list their ideas about the modern Seven Wonders of the World. There were some disagreements, but the following got the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica, and
7. China's Great Wall.
While collecting the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student did not turn in her paper. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.
The girl answered her teacher, "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, and then she read out loud, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to touch
2. to taste
3. to see
4. to hear
5. to feel
6. to laugh, and
7. to love."
To be honest, that was not the first time I’d heard this story. Today may not be the first time you are hearing this story. It’s all over the Internet. Think about it though - we are always looking for, we’re always in awe of the biggest, the tallest, the longest, the oldest structure to remind us of greatness. But we forget the greatest wonder of the world – US. For without us, there would not be great structures.
Let us start each day reminding ourselves that we have the best gifts bestowed upon us – the gift of warmth, the gift of sight, the gift of sound, the gift of emotions, the gift of love – it is only when we appreciate our wonders can we then be able to share and touch the lives of others. Love ourselves and enjoy our gifts! Be the change!
Thank you.
Best regards,
Deborah Hoe, CTM
President 2008/2009
