A young writer asked me for advice yesterday. She said she had told her new husband, "I bet Hope sees the world differently."

I told her that I see the world as material for stories, yes. I watch people, listen to them, note mannerisms and reactions, and remember what they say and how they say it. That amazed her.

It's called being in the present. Introverts have a better feel for it, but we all can adopt the practice.

Attempt to live life aware of the little things around you. Not the flaws or the perfections, but just the way it is. The pattern of the cream in your coffee. The air draft only hitting your ankles. The three different types of birds in the crepe myrtle next to your porch. A child noticing a smudge on the floor. The tiny spark in someone's eye that wouldn't prompt a spark in yours.

Awareness is connection. Connection is healthy. Connection is powerful in terms of writing, but also of feeling alive. It grounds us, but it also feeds us as writers.