Living In Awe | Cali

I was driving a white mini van pointing at the vineyards acting like a 5 year old seeing a new toy for the first time. I became extremely excited about the little town of Sonoma and how precious each building was. The town looks like the beginning of Magic Kingdom and I was just so happy to be there. I apologized to my coworker who was riding shot gun and he laughed and said we should all get this excited over things.

From the terrifying top

A year or so ago I was flying over mountains when I looked down and saw how beautiful they were. I remember thinking how does a plane actually work, how am I here right now, and how did I get to be so lucky? I decided from that moment on I would find something that was AWEsome everyday. As I see it, if you're not struck by your life everyday then something needs to change.

I also got excited over jelly beans

This weekend I was in Lake Tahoe with my Family 2 (the name they've assigned to themselves). I had heard about the beauty that awaited me at the lake but I didn't fully understand the concept of the mountains and lake being combined into a divine masterpiece until I was breathing in the fresh pine air. Friday we drove up the mountainside to get to the cabin. I've been on some sketchy mountain drives but never anything like this. The speed limit at one point was actually 10 mph because there was no side railing and if you ran off the road you were definitely dead. But in this horrific stretch there came this point where if you looked on your left and right you saw two different lakes surrounded by ever greens. It was one of the most breathtaking sights I've seen. Despite clutching the side of the car, that was my favorite viewpoint of the trip.

Lake Tahoe

My freshman year religion teacher, Miss Houmis, would always ask our class, "What struck you?" She was attempting to pull out that which spoke to us. I think that's what we should go around asking ourselves daily. Maybe it's the way the waves crash on rocks and produce salt. Maybe it's the smiles of your children as they run in the backyard. Maybe it's the realization that the stars we see have probably already exploded and when you look at them you are looking back in time. Maybe it's the fact that you can blink and breathe automatically. Whatever it is, take time to let that wonder wash over you. Because that is when you realize how fantastic living is.

It's so blue because of its depth

I realize that my life in California looks vastly different from my life in Columbia or Greenville. However, that does not mean I have to stop being in awe of my life. The moment I stop being amazed is the moment I have failed at life.