A Sense of Wonder

​I was reading an article about Stevie Wonder recently when I learned something that delighted me. Turns out, Stevie wrote his incredible song "I Wish" just after a Motown company picnic. Stevie said "I had such a good time at the picnic that I went to Crystal Recording Stud io right afterward and the vibe came right to my mind — running at the picnic, the contests, we all participated."

So we're clear, he went to a work event and had so much fun that he went back to work -- and his output was astounding. How's that for a lesson? Happy employees make great things. 

There's another lesson in that song, and while it's hinted at my Stevie's quote, it's really made clear in the music itself. It's about participation. Listen to the way the musicians flirt with chaos. Hear those gleeful arpeggios tumbling upwards and downwards, those instruments gamboling all around each other but never collapsing, like expert contestants in a three-legged race. Now that's teamwork. When people of different styles collaborate, they can make music. Team bonding is all about that -- learning people's skills and how to work together.

The lyrics, too, are joyful. The song's a nostalgic celebration of childhood, inspired by the euphoria of play. Heck, there's even a few whoops and hollers, just for the fun of it! So yeah, get out there and have a little joy! Play for a while.

When we create scavenger hunts, we're careful to offer a diverse experience that allows everyone to have fun, regardless of their speciality, their role, or their title. "I wish those days could come back once more," Stevie sings, and we know what he means. We try to embody that spirit of childhood play when we take groups out on hunts. I guess you could say we like creating a little sense of Wonder.

Editor's note: OK, ok. It should be acknowledged that a lot of you may have first heard this song when Will Smith sampled it for the title song from his movie Wild Wild West. If thinking of that song put you in a bit of a frontier mood, you should definitely check out our scavenger hunt in Grapevine, inspired by the desperados and rough riders who called the town home.