By Pattie Mihalik

During the weekly meeting of a women’s group, the leader had a question for us.

“When was the last time you felt awe … the last time you noticed something extraordinary in the ordinary?”

While most pondered their answer, I knew my answer instantly.

The last time I felt awe was that morning. I start each and very day with what I call my gratitude walk. I think it’s the most important thing I do for myself.

Regardless of weather, the first thing I do, even before my morning cup of coffee, is to go for a walk while I think of all the things for which I am grateful.

I thank God for life and for the wonders of creation. Then I call to mind all my blessings.

That little exercise is better than any tranquilizer or pill. It leaves me relaxed, happy and totally grateful for every little blessing.

There are days when I start my walk with what I call a jumbled mind. Instead of being flooded with gratitude for the gift of another day, my mind is filled with thinking about a problem.

Sometimes I find I have walked a few blocks caught up in trying to think of solutions to that problem.

While finding solutions to life’s difficulties is a worthwhile venture, it doesn’t have to be done first thing in the morning when I should be breathing in the joy and appreciation for the day.

Nothing should interfere with my gratitude walk. So I shake off all thoughts and concentrate instead on more tranquil feelings.

Yes, starting the day with a walk is a healthy habit. But it’s not just a physical exercise for me.

I start the walk with a deep breath, noticing the way the day feels.

The air feels differently every day. It even smells differently. I notice those subtle daily changes.

When I walk I also notice every little thing. I see the big bumblebee on top of a purple flower.

I see beauty everywhere, even in the weeds that grow willy-nilly all over the place.

If you take a good look at what we call weeds, you will see so many examples of delicate, pretty flowers. Something doesn’t have to be purposely planted to have its own kind of beauty.

There is one little flower, no bigger than 2 inches, with intricate little clusters forming the head of the flower.

Some uncut fields have banks of daisylike flowers. Others have white flowers so tiny one wouldn’t see them without looking carefully.

I try to be a careful observer.

So, when our group leader challenged us to see “the extraordinary in the ordinary,” it was right up my alley.

The leader made the point that so many people who go for daily walks or a daily run don headphones to hear music.

“They see little of their surroundings,” she said. “They miss seeing the awe all around us.”

She usually ends each session with a small assignment. This week our assignment was to experience one moment of awe. She told us to zero in on everything, as if we had a close-up lens on a camera.

“Look around you in a new way,” she challenged.

Even though that’s something I do every day, I made a special effort the next day to “see and feel” everything around me.

My little moment of awe came while I watched a large bird gliding high in the sky. It could have been a hawk, an osprey or even a vulture. It was too high for me to see detail.

But my “awe moment” was watching the way the bird soared and glided across the sky.

Many people rush through a day without seeing the little miracles of nature all around them.

Others make it a priority to spend some time in nature seeing those tiny moments of awe.

My 65-year-old friend Phyllis has had some health issues she is working to overcome. But she finds peace and joy when she takes her daily walk.

She goes to a different scenic spot each day to spend quiet moments in nature. She says it’s the best thing she does for herself each day.

Yesterday she rode to a local butterfly garden then quietly sat to watch the spectacle of color as a variety of butterflies sampled each flower.

She spots and delights in seeing all forms of wildlife — the small bunnies, the beautiful shorebirds, the big alligator in the pond — she sees and appreciates it all.

A recent study found physical and mental benefits in those who walked in a natural environment like grassy landscapes or in a park or forest.

Specifically, the research concluded those who spend time outdoors instead of exercising inside have improved self-esteem, vitality and revitalization. They also showed heightened feelings of energy, pleasure and delight.

According to the research, those who walk outside rather than in a gym feel more inspired to walk again.

My own take on it is that walking outside and being aware of all the wonders around me clears my mind and gives me a daily infusion of joy.

So here’s my own little challenge for you.

Look for the awe in life.

Be aware of the moment, aware of the daily delights that await those willing to slow down and look.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.