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Take Your Wow With You
Otherwise, you might miss the tiny rainbows
bouncing off the dew drops when the morning
sun hits the grass. Or you’ll miss the fence-top debate
between the squirrel and the northern mockingbird
(the bird always wins). You’ll miss the relentless effort
of that earthworm crossing the sidewalk, and the opportunity
to help it with those last few inches—a gentle nudge
with the stem of a fallen maple leaf. You’ll miss the neighbor
who walks three dogs at once, with his don’t-talk-to-me face
above the tangle of leashes, but the dogs’ faces reveal
that he’s bursting with love. If you don’t take your wow
with you, your day will be full of squinting in the too-bright
sun, cursing the annoying squawk of the birds, sidestepping
slimy creatures, and avoiding rude neighbors.
But with your wow at your side,
the world reveals its glow.
