Have You Listened Lately?

Have You Listened Lately?

Tonight I received an email from a friend inquiring if I am taking a break from writing my blog.  I love it!!  She had visited my blog and noticed the date of my last writing.   Now, that is absolutely wonderful.  Often I wonder if anyone is actually reading so when someone notices that it has been awhile since the last post, I feel that perhaps what I share touches a person or two.

Many ideas have danced across my mind lately.  I love the dance of words and thoughts.  They often move slowly like a waltz keeping that one, two, three rhythm.  When that happens, words flow gently into those thoughts that eventually turn into paragraphs.  Other times words and thoughts tumble quickly like a gitterbug.  They fall out of my head at rapid speed leaving me breathless as I try to get them written down.

One recent morning reminded me of the waltz.   My mornings are usually rather slow.  On this particular morning I decided to sit quietly in a deck chair and simply listen.  My usual morning routine is to take the garden hose and water each pot of flowers and ferns.  So this was a break from the regular.  Sure, I watered everything first.  But after that I sat down and listened and watched.  I allowed myself to be filled with nature.

A gentle breeze played through the leaves of the trees.  The sound was quiet and peaceful.  I watched as the leaves swayed back and forth as if dancing to a melody I could not hear.  I heard water falling into the fish pond.  That sound was a bit louder but so very pleasant.  I couldn't see the water so it was fun to imagine what it looked like.  With eyes closed, I saw the splash it made as it tumbled over the edge of the large rock. Where the splash met the calm water, I saw the small ripples it created.  I knew that water lilies were ready to bloom so I imagined the beautiful shade of yellow that accents the green lily pads.  Colorful koi have a home among the lily pads.  They add grace to the pond.

As I listened, I picked up the sound of water falling in a fountain among the hosta.  That fountain is a favorite of robins.  They bathe there often.  Why does moving water bring such peace to a garden?  Birds busy with morning songs flew from tree to tree occasionally landing on a feeder.  Once full, they relinquished their spot to another who enjoyed a bit of breakfast.

The six colorful hummingbird feeders were soon visited by several of those delightful creatures.  It seemed as if each bird had a favorite feeder.  I love the sound they make as they zoom past on their way to fill up!  It is like a roar.  We have a bully hummingbird.  He or she feeds at will then flies to a branch to watch for the next visitor to the feeder.  As soon as another brother or sister appears, down it races and chases the interloper away.  This behavior continues all day.  On this particular morning I watched one hummer appear from below the feeders.  A rather sneaky way to approach the food supply.

In the distance I heard the moo of a cow and the sound of a tractor.  Bees buzzed around the large flowers on the deck.  A car drove by on the road in front of our house.  An airplane made its way to the airport nearby.  Crickets or some such creature sang loudly among the trees.  The motor of our air conditioner started its cycle of cooling the house.  And then it stopped.  Birds sang their songs, and squirrels chattered away in the trees.

Yes, nature was busy that morning.  Actually, the world was busy.  Things were as they should be.  Each part of life was performing its job.  There was a type of harmony to it all.

Eventually, it was time to move on with my day.  As the day progressed,  my thoughts returned often to those moments on the deck.  Gratitude filled my spirit.  Gratitude for having the opportunity to listen and watch life happening.  Certainly there were chores that needed to be done.  But, taking that few moments refreshed my spirit.

Maybe you will have a moment  to listen this week. Your own spirit may speak to you as you allow the quiet to wash over you.  And just maybe you will find the rhythm of the dance that longs to move you to a quieter more peaceful place on the dance floor of life.

One, two, three...