As I sat outside of the coffee shop on this beautiful Saturday morning, sipping on my herbal tea and reading a book from my childhood, the soothing sounds of these wind chimes were ringing overhead. Immediately, it took me back to a simpler time when I was young and my family and I would head up to the pine trees during the summer time to escape the sweltering heat of the desert. I remember sitting on the front porch of an old cabin and hearing the whispering wind through the pines, as the metal wind chimes echoed across the small valley.
To hear those sounds again made me sit back and tell myself that sometimes you have to relax and act as a child would. I think sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in the rat-race, rush from place to place, and fail to truly appreciate some of our surroundings. With each step we take throughout the day, there’s going to be something interesting. It’s just that if we turn on our blinders, there’s a really good chance that we just might miss what’s happening around us. It’s good to sit back and observe and relish the moment, as opposed to constantly being caught up in what we need to accomplish next, where we need to be, and what we need to say next. Maybe it’s time to just be still, be silent, and listen to the chimes.
A Wrinkle in Time
I picked up a book called A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle that I had read when I was quite young; maybe 12 years old, or so. As I sat there this morning listening to the chimes, sipping my tea, and reading this book, a couple of lines stood out to me that seemed to fit perfectly with the moment:
Nothing is hopeless; we must hope for everything.
I loved this. I think hope is what can keep us going, and as long as we have hope, desire, and faith that we can do better, make others better, and be what we want to be, then that’s all that we need. The next quote, on the next page really grabbed my attention as well:
The more a man knows, the less he talks.
There’s often times when you come across people who love to hear themselves talk, but you notice that no true substance is coming out of them. They seem to be more concerned with what they are going to say next, as opposed to sitting back, truly listening to what the other person is saying and engaging in a real, two-sided conversation. I hope to be able to listen, learn, and embrace different views, differing opinions and not be the victim of stubbornness. Less talk, more listening.
Seeing the World as a Child
My goal is to keep moving forward, but not in a way that it becomes stressful and frustrating. I want to see the world as a young child sees it; with passion, curiosity, and wonder. I want to be awed by the everyday things and appreciate the small wonders, the eccentricity of my fellow man, and have this passion to find something new to appreciate each and every day. I want to find those wind chimes in everything that I do in the world. I want to envision myself sitting on that porch as a young child, watching as the tops of the pine trees bend, and the wind whistles in the distance. To look at the world through a whole new set of eyes and appreciation is what I strive for; not to get caught up in being an “adult.”
