Well, it's another Sunday and today I am not at home sitting in my living room sipping my coffee as I write.

Today, my family and I are in Monterey enjoying a long weekend with friends and with each other.
I've been thinking about what to write this week as there have been plenty of things on my mind: I've been contemplating getting older (with the thoughtful crabbiness of a cancer); we are keeping up with out of town summer guests and side walk sales; we've got new classes and programs sprouting up all over the place and our new website was just launched.

But as I was out and about this weekend - doing things I don't usually do - one thing kept creeping into my attention like a creepy little octopus tentacle. And that's all it took - the octopus!
How spectacular!

Just when I thought this trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium was going to be the one where everything felt unexciting and without novelty Charlie and I walked over to the "Giant Octopus" tank.
In that split second I realized - but not even realized - knew, was struck by the realization, was inspired to know that life holds so much wonder...still.

As I write this column now I am overwhelmed by the profound and often overlooked ordinary blessings that are looming around  me everyday, every moment if I am only open to seeing them.
It leaves me breathless.

Let me tell you what I mean. Here are a few things - from the past three days - that have moved me:

* The complete and absolute quiet of a foggy morning
* A friend smiling at me
* Waking up next to my son
* Feeling my sore back and seeing the blister on my heel that I worked very hard to get!
* A deep breath
* The simple freedom of choice: the choice to pick pizza over pasta, the choice to run or walk, the choice to have another cup of coffee, the choice to brush and floss or save it for the morning.

Today I feel blessed to be able to see, pay my bills, decide to learn a new skill, be able to read and to write. I hope that today you might take a moment to see the beauty in all the things you do everyday, especially those things you do everyday, the mundane.
I'd like to share this last thing with you. It was a gift from a friend and I thank her for making it a part of my life.