The last week or two were challenging weeks when it came to items that I rely on to help me get through my day.

My husband was doing a good deed and decided to run my van through the car wash. I don’t know if my van didn’t like the fact that it had a new driver or if it didn’t like the fact that it had to have a bath. My van died right in the middle of the car wash. Stuck in the abyss of the car wash it would not start. We had to call Van 911 and it had to be resuscitated. The van doctor could not find a good reason for this van to die in the midst of a bath. Tests were run and my van seemed to be hearty and healthy.

My microwave was not so lucky. It protested loudly and died. It died in the midst of warming my coffee. I live with the Handyestman. It is his business to fix and repair and pound and nail. He does it for a living so sometimes it is hardest to do it at home. However, the Handyestman checked out my microwave and told me it wanted to retire for good. The same week his computer decided to malfunction. I have the same problem fixing computers at home as he does with home repair. I do it all day so I don’t want to do it at home. Since he took care of Mr. Microwave and its death certificate I took care of his computer. The outcome was a little different. His computer survived.

I thought it would be no problem living without a microwave. Living without the van would have been a little different but the microwave should be no problem. I underestimated how much I use my microwave. The first thing I realized is that I can’t rewarm my coffee. I seem to do it a lot as I am sipping. There was no microwave popcorn in the middle of the evening. I actually had to make my oatmeal on the stove in the morning. It takes more time. I also had to think ahead when it came to dinner as there was no quick thaw in my microwave. My noon lunch, which was leftover hotdish, could not be warmed quickly. It is hard to remember days without a microwave. I am spoiled with the quick fix.

My challenges were not serious. They were little glitches in my day that seemed to make me a little crabby or if you ask my spouse probably a lot crabby. I do have things that I turn to for help to make my day a little bit better and I want to share one of them with you.

I picked up a book a few months ago called “The Awe-Manac” It is a daily dose of wonder by Jill Badonsky. It is a little weird, but it will put a smile on your face. I am going to share a part of it for March 9.

The Daily Soul Vitamin for the day is: “The only rule is that there are no rules.” — Del Close.

The Toast of The Day is: “Here’s to the delight of the quick witted.”

It is Americo Vespucci’s birthday. I am not going to tell you who he is. Check it out. I am sure you can find him on the Web.

It is also Panic Day. The book describes Panic Day as a day to run around in a panic and tell everyone you can’t handle it anymore.

For an Aha-phrodisiac you are to write or improvise in a panic state about one or more of the following subjects: dinner party, a dandelion, losing a sock, missing an exit, losing your mind, not being able to relax. You are to make artwork to go with John Calvi’s quote: “When I took the leap, I had faith I’d find the net; instead I learned how to fly.”

For a dose of mirth: Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God. Bokonon in Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle.

And finally the subliminal message from awe-awakened moment potion: I see beauty with 100 percent appreciative awareness. The note to self says: Break a limiting rule today — as long as it has nothing to do with morals or safety.

This may seem like a silly book, but it has some great suggestions for helping you see life differently when you are experiencing those difficult moments.

I have trouble doing that on my own. I need inspiration and outside sources to help me through the ups and downs, the valleys and the peaks. Reading this book doesn’t solve my problems. Reading this book doesn’t fix my microwave but it gives me moments away from life’s difficult moments so I can face them again sometimes with a different attitude and a different way of solving my problems.

Find whatever you can use for your daily dose of wonder and it could change your life.

I received this quote by e-mail from someone whom I consider to be a very wise man. It gave me cause for thought. How can this quote change the way we think about our future?

“The future has several names. For the weak, it is the impossible. For the faint-hearted, it is the unknown. For the thoughtful and valiant, it is the ideal.” — Victor Hugo

Wells resident Julie Seedorf’s column appears every Monday. Send e-mail to her at thecolumn@bevcomm.net.