One day last week I woke to a day that simmered in beauty.

The last of the rain had fallen during the night, leaving a perfect day that was exceptionally bright.

Did you ever get one of those perfect days that seemed to demand your attention. It was as if the day was demanding I pay attention to everything around me and that I drink in the beauty of the day.

Often when I do my early morning gratitude walk I’m concentrating on where I am walking and how far I have to walk before I am home. Often, when I walk the same route every day, I don’t pay close attention to my surroundings.

Yet, I was walking the same route as I normally do but this time I felt alive to the beauty before me.

Just to make sure I was paying attention I was rewarded with the rare sights of a dozen ibis having a picnic on the side of the road.

What was so unusual about seeing a dozen of the birds? In my former home I often saw several dozen Ibis in my backyard. But in my new home, which is more of a high-rise, it’s rare to see any birds unless they just flying by.

When people sometimes ask me if I miss anything about my former home I answer that I miss the many birds that graced my yard and gave me so much pleasure. Day and evening I once had a nature lover’s paradise.

Since I moved I joke that the birds must not like a high-rise, but it’s no joke when I long for a bit more of nature.

Where I live now it’s greatly manicured — every inch of the place. But I have to go on a nature safari somewhere to see wildlife.

But on that incredibly beautiful day even the birds came to take a bow.

What comes to mind is the old expression that says “love what you have,” so that’s what I’m doing.

I trying not to miss the beauty of each day.

There is another way I see that beauty. I see it in people. I’m not talking only about beautiful young faces. I see beauty in the heavily lined faces I see every day.

When I stop to chat with an old man who is anxious to talk I delight in his chuckle and what appears to be his zest for life.

This morning after water aerobics I spent time in the hot tub with two ninety-something women who were delightful to talk with. They take the water aerobics class every day.

Yesterday in my exercise class we were joined by a woman celebrating her 100th birthday this week.

When I am surrounded by such amazing people every day I can’t help but be impressed with their inner beauty.

I like talking with people of all ages, and I can’t help but be impressed with what I learn.

My friend Dot runs a writing class where she encourages everyone to mine their memories then commit their stories to their own book.

I am truly amazed by the stories that come out of their exercises. Most of them never seriously wrote before, but I can truly say they do a credible job telling their stories.

Thanks to Dot’s encouragement many families will have beautiful stories to pass along their memories.

There is one fellow in the class who is legally blind, but he has adopted some mechanical aids that help him commit his stories to print.

Just as I look for beauty in each day, I look for beauty in each person. And I am seldom disappointed.

I found the best way to celebrate life is to seek out the fascinating people who are all around us.

A few of the people I meet are one dimensional. They only talk about themselves. They talk, talk, talk — but they don’t listen. Fortunately, most people aren’t like that.

Whenever I meet fascinating people I so wish I could write about them. But that’s Dot’s goal. She encourages people to tell their own stories.

I must say that I have been incredibly blessed over the years to have been able to tell many stories of fascinating people.

While I won’t be able to tell everyone’s story in print, I can still listen to the everyday stories I hear all around me.

If you are like me, you too might look for the beauty all around us as well as the beauty in those we meet.

There is so much around us that is extraordinary, if we look.

OK, dear readers. Now I have something to ask of you.

Since the theme of my column this week is looking for the extraordinary, tell me one thing in your life that you regard as extraordinary.

I am so anxious to hear your answer.

Email Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net