I’ve been thinking a lot about firsts lately. When I was a young teen, firsts revolved around kisses and “I love yous.” As a half-way through adult, I see firsts everywhere. (I was going to say half-cooked adult, but that made me sound a little like I was leaning too heavily on the sauce so I didn’t).

I see firsts through the eyes of my kids. First time joining a board as an almost 30-something in academia; first time flying on a plane alone as a teen; first time buying a king bed on his own; first time falling in love…

I see it through my new 11-week-old pup who I think we should have named “Tank” due to his 24 lb. physique. Absolute fascination with his first ice cube which he skittered all over the floor with glee; his first dive in the pool; his first bee sting.

And I see it in the community, the country. The first time one of my health coach clients realizes the power they have to get themselves healthy. The first time gay marriage is legal in 50 states. The first time certain local mountain towns hit 117 degrees. I marvel at it all.

And that’s because firsts make us keenly aware of the moment we’re in. Whether we like the thing that transpires or not, the Universe cries out for our attention. It reminds me of the name game with my new pup. “Kai!” and his head (ideally) snaps in my direction. That’s what the Universe does. It says our name enthusiastically, with cheese on top, so that we snap our head in its direction. Always. In the hills and the valleys. And it says, “Yes!!”

Look at all that I am. Look at the gazillions of blades of grass in one square foot. Look at the grains of sand in one square inch. Look at the leaves on the trees, the birds in the sky, my special sound and light effects with thunder and lightning during a summer storm. Look at all of it here, abundant and available.

It’s everywhere, not just when we’re traveling to an exotic bungalow in Bora Bora (though admittedly those definitely make it easy!)  But it’s just as present and available when we’re sitting in our own space with our own spirit listening to the silence. Not checking our phone, not making a list of what’s to come, not thinking about what we’re lacking, but just sitting and thinking, “Wow. Just wow.”

We get so busy thinking about what came before and after, we miss the present. Firsts are here to remind us to stop that.