“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order” – John Burroughs

I get it. We’re all busy. Rushing here. Going there. Trying to get it all done.

Tonight, I took a break.

Things have been hectic at my house with the normal routine happenings. But throw in an extra couple of guests and my simply ordered life becomes chaotic.

I went to my happy place. A location which few know of. A quiet, relaxing place where I am alone.

And I relished the silence. . .at first. But then in the quiet, I began to let my senses kick in. First I heard the drops of water falling from the trees onto the metal roof. Then I heard the wind blowing. And the furnace kick on.

Shortly afterwards, I began to notice the cool smoothness of the polished floor beneath my bare feet. And the hum of the refrigerator.

I removed my make-up and washed my face, taking time to revel in the softness and scent of a freshly laundered towel, the fluidity of the warm water as it splashed onto my face and ran down my chin.

I ate a carton of yogurt and smelled the sweet scent of the apples as I stirred it. The weight of the yogurt diminished as it warmed on my tongue, retaining a bit of coolness as it crossed my palate.

For a few minutes I sat in the hot tub and felt my body relax. I felt the sting of cold sleety drops hitting my face, while the rest of my body, heated thru, stayed under the surface of the water, the bubbles from the jets fizzing against my skin. I stood to wrap myself in a towel, watching as the steam rose from my skin, wafting upwards into the night sky.

Relaxation is a wonderful thing, not only for the body but the mind. Too often we are rushing thru life so fast we forget to experience it. To fully feel, hear, taste, and smell what is happening around us.

Tonight was an awesome reminder of the busy-ness of the commonplace things that we tune out. They are there, right below the surface of our consciousness, waiting to be sensed.