Listening to the Happenings

I recently read about someone who decided to experiment with listening to the sounds of life.  The sounds of life meaning the literal sounds that he heard at any given time throughout his day.  He recalls listening to a clock ticking in concurrence with swallows twittering (not to be mistaken with tweeting) outside in the back yard as his stomach begins to growl anticipating lunch, and he is convinced that there is something to be heard in the humdrum of his day, in the noise that adds to the busyness, should he take the time to listen. 

He writes a series of lectures about this experiment.  It is fascinating and inspiring, even challenging.  I find this exercise particularly challenging because some days it takes great effort to accomplish simple tasks like getting the clean clothes (that have been sitting in the wash basket for a week) folded and put away, let alone intentionally listening to the sounds of life in hopes to discover something deeper within.

I find that life happens and that it happens quickly.  At the beginning of the week, I sometimes forget what events took place at the end of the last.  Not because I was intoxicated in the days between, but rather due to lack of being present in the moments and listening to what is happening as I go about.  I seem to get caught up in the next thing in order to ensure that everything that absolutely needs to is accomplished.

So, here I am.  My eyes closed. I hear my space heater humming at my feet.  I hear the buzz from the lights above and the clicking of the keys on the keyboard as I type.  As my head tilts from side to side, stretching out muscles sore from a restless night, I am increasingly aware of my poor posture.  Correcting that.  Breathing.  Waiting . . . and now feeling more sleepy than I was prior to doing this little experiment.  I have now discovered a relaxation exercise and a solution to those times I lie awake at night for no apparent reason.  All I need to do is listen to the sounds around me.

Seriously though, life will not slow down and wait for me to catch up.  I challenge myself to find moments in my daily routine to pay attention to the sounds of life.  I do not want to miss the beauty that lies in listening to the happenings.