Today’s Challenge: Be Still and Listen

Right now I am sitting beside an open window listen to the sound of slowly running water outside--a neighbor’s pool has water refilling it, but I can imagine a quiet stream outside my window. There are several birds chirping outside, some talking to each other and some just calling out to the world alone. My children are quietly working on schoolwork--I can hear the sound of the pencils moving across papers and I can hear the rustle of turning pages. Now, as I type, the sound of my fingers hitting the keys adds to the melody of the morning.

Some days I like to go to a crowded park or business area and listen. I take a book and pretend to be occupied. I listen to shoes moving past on pavement. I listen to people humming along with their iPods. I listen to people bustling past talking about their joys, their sorrows or their plans for the day. I don’t eavesdrop on entire conversations, but I like to pick up on the rhythm of life moving past me.

Take 30 minutes one day this week to stop and listen. Don’t add to the conversation or noise during those 30 minutes if possible. If you can, choose two settings and compare the differences. Choose a quiet area and listen to nature, then choose a crowded area and listen to human nature.

Write about what you hear--either in your journal or blog or in a short story or poem. Capture how you felt or if your mood changed. I enjoy times when I can be still and listen. I usually learn a lot about myself and about life.