Reverence? What's that?

Right now I am reading An Altar in the World, by Barbara Brown Taylor. I haven't finished it but I just got done reading a chapter on reverence. I had no idea what that meant so I had to look it up.

Reverence: a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration. (Dictionary.com)

Bella, the day we found her in Victor, Iowa

We have a little puggle (pug/beagle) named Bella. We found her while we were fishing about 5 years ago near Victor, Iowa. She was living out in the country all by herself. When we found her she was covered with ticks but as happy as can be. She was so friendly that we brought her home with us, because who could leave something so sweet and cute out in the middle of nowhere?

Ever since we brought her home she has been a princess. She doesn't like to even step a paw pad outside if it is raining or snowing, but when she does venture out she loves to admire her surroundings. When we go on a walk, she stops to smell every flower, bug, tree or blade of grass that we stroll by. She takes her time, as to appreciate every step of our route, even if it is the same every day. It is extremely annoying when I happen to be in a hurry or when I am just too tired, but lately I haven't been upset about her taking her time, I almost envy it.

We live in such a fast paced world. I know people who get up at 4:30 a.m. to go to the gym, then they go to work, come home to take care of family, often squeeze in some sort of social event, and sometimes even go on to a second job. How do we live like this? It's all GO GO GO!! 

Now, I know that right now it is easy for me to say all of this since I am not employed at the moment, but seriously taking the time to observe and just be in awe of what surrounds us is pretty cool. My first experience, since reading about reverence happened after the Royals won their wild card game on Tuesday night, GO ROYALS! Right after the game I was so psyched that I went out onto our patio to cool off. Just as I walked out, it started to rain and it was beautiful. I sat and just listened to the rain stream down the gutters and I felt the tiniest tickle at my toes as a few stray raindrops found there way under cover. In that moment there was an amazing peace.

I could have run out there cooled off, been annoyed by the rain and gone back inside, but I didn't. How many times do we choose to be annoyed? Something is inconveniencing us, taking to long, or is out of the way, so we don't do it. Imagine all the beautiful things we are missing. Sometimes it isn't even taking a different route or more time, it is just being observant and in the moment. Noticing the sunset on our commute home, listening to the crunch in the leaves as you walk your dog, smelling the amazing dinner your neighbors are grilling on their charcoal grill (that might lead to jealousy, ha), or standing for a brief moment to absorb a few warm rays of sunshine on your lunch break. We all need to try to be more in the moment and reverent. I'm finding it is a pretty peaceful place to be.