AWE-CATCHER

This morning was the first in several days where there was a significant break in the rain and I was finally able to get out for my morning run. And with the miracle of what precipitation and sunshine can produce, I saw the first appearance of wildflowers along the trail where I run.

We've been in our current house for a little over twenty years and back when we were looking to move into this area, we spent about TEN months looking for just the right house because we had very specific ideas for what would make the perfect home for our little family.

Number 1: The schools. All the public schools in this area of San Jose have a reputation for academic excellence (And the real estate prices definitely reflect that).

Number 2: We wanted a big backyard. Difficult to find (and afford) in most highly populated areas of California, but still possible at the time.

Number 3: We wanted to be in a neighborhood with a cabana club so we could have access to a pool, but not have to deal with the maintenance, hassle, and cost of having one in our own backyard.

Number 4: We wanted to be close to the bike/creek trail that runs all the way from Almaden Lake through the entire Almaden Valley. And just one block away from our house, this is the view I see almost every day when I go out for a walk/run.

Last night at the first My Fair Lady rehearsal when I saw a few of the talented peeps whom I have recruited to narrate some of the chapters in the audiobook of my second novel, JOURNEYS, I gushed about how wonderful their narrations were already sounding, and we haven't even gotten to the final touches and edits yet. I explained how during every recording session I have literally wept because their voices have so beautifully and perfectly brought my story to life. To which sweet Corinna said, "Yeah, but Patty, they're your words."

And just as I was about to write this latest blog post, I remembered how one of my chapters ended:

JOURNEYS by Patty Flores Reinhart - Chapter 9

I recall what Grandma said earlier today. The thing about awe is that it works. It helps you transcend those dreary, draining elements of everyday life and see something bigger. And in the presence of something bigger, you get quite small, as do our problems. . . Normally, I reject New Year's resolutions because they feel like a surefire recipe for unmet expectations and failure. However, setting the intention to find some examples of delight at least once daily feels doable. I will put myself out there and be open to whatever and whomever shows up in my life. I will become an "awe-catcher."

Oh, my God! They ARE my words! Thanks, Corinna!