I’ve always passed by this tree and somehow I never noticed all of its layers. It wasn’t until I did this exercise and took a moment to just be present, that I was able to see it more clearly.
As I sat and reflected, the first thing that I noticed was the breeze that hit my face while birds all around me chirped and sang.
I was also admiring the trees, nature, and every aspect beautiful aspect of the paradise that was in front of me, it was very peaceful, my mind was clear and free from stress which is something very hard to find these days. The breeze that I felt in my face became a soft whistling sound that flew by both of my ears and made me forget all about the singing of the birds, my hearing at least, was isolated from everything. My senses shifted from sight and hearing to touch and smell as I began to smell the fresh air coming from the trees and feel the grass in between my fingertips. I laid on the grass for some more time and continued to make use of my senses to appreciate the beauty that surrounded me.
Humidity. The smell of rain. Grey. Car sounds. Wind rustling the leaves. Wind blowing in my ears. Cold. Dark. Gloomy.
I can hear the sea even from where I am, and I can smell it too, even if I can’t see it from where I was sitting. I also found we have a whole lot of snails.
The sunset is a perfect shade of orange that just makes me smile, I can see every bit of water on every rock, leaf, and the still water has a way of calming the nerves. I can hear the birds chirping their individual calls as the rare sounds of a fish jumping a mere 30 meters away fill my ears. There’s a low hum as a boat goes by around the middle. It’s perfect.
Cars pass by in the distance. A motorcycle booms. Dogs bark, and the neighbor’s child cries. Birds occasionally chirp, and an owl hoots. Leaves rustle overhead. The white wall is dirty. The plants, grey and yellow, look like they are dying. Dust from the desert is piled onto the leaves of the plants. The air is clear, cold and sharp. A breeze kicks up, and my nose starts to lose its warmth. My dog pushes me, looking for attention.
When I stand in front of this tree I feel delight and gratitude. You see, the tree only blooms for 5 days every year and this year I am here to witness it.
As I stand quietly in the shade of the tree and breathe in I smell the dirt of the earth around me, the approaching rain and the wonderful and rare scent of lilacs. I see so much colour and dozens of bees also enjoying the tree. Along with the bees, I hear (and feel) the cooling wind, the music from next door, my neighbour calling his dog, and a lawn mower. This is my favourite time of year in my yard.
