I am quietly celebrating the first day of baseball season. (By “quietly,” of course, I mean yelling with joy at each Mariner hit, run, and great defensive play as they blow their opening game wide open in the ninth inning. It’s now 10 to 3, M’s over the Angels, and that’s why I’m hoarse.)

“Opening day” creates a lovely ringing image, doesn’t it? A day devoted to opening. All the cliches about every team having a fresh start, every team contending, the experience of all possibility, no disappointment (yet), they all apply.

But it also puts me in mind of openings far more important than sports scores. (Hey, I’m a fan, and this is a game. A big, beautiful, thrilling, gorgeous game. But still, just a game.)

Opening your mind. Opening your heart. Opening your self to what the universe has in mind for you.

In about two months my second novel will experience its opening day, and that will be a lot of fun, too. I’ll share its sweet cover here soon.

But that’s a book, a story. A big, beautiful, thrilling, gorgeous story. But still, just a story.

Let all of these openings inspire you to believe that anything is possible. From a winning baseball season in Seattle, to true love found in You, Jane, to whatever your heart desires. The most important opening we do each day is making ourselves available to life.

And wooooo hoooooooo! Go M’s!