Moonlight Walk Concerto Number 5

On this beautiful spring day, I decided to take a break and sit on the backyard deck for a few minutes. I purposely engaged in total disconnection from our electronic age and total connection to the sounds that exist on the fringes of my consciousness right in my own backyard. This is a good way to develop the habit of mindful relaxation and awareness, and I hope I will do this more often.

Here is what I heard as I leaned my head back and closed my eyes:

• The wind rushing with gusto through the tree tops
• A multitude of birds communicating their joy to be alive
• The strange whirring of grasshoppers
• The echoing bark of a faraway dog
• Water dripping from a potted plant
• Buzzing bees that prefer to be left alone
• The deep-toned peal of the neighbor's wind chime
• The resonant rumble of a distant car
• Rustling leaves as occasional wind gusts propel them to new locations
• My own heartbeat

 Music to my ears and a symphony in my soul!

What do you hear when you sit in your backyard?