Being present

This Morning...

March 21, 2014

I hear:   leaves rustling as they drop from the oak trees; a muted radio and the sound of a nail gun popping from a renovation going on nearby; Scout barking; the roar of a leaf blower; a far-off train whistle; the pool filter clicking on; various birds chirping and singing.


I see: sunlight and shadows making patterns on the ground and the surface of the pool; orchid buds opening, Spanish moss lazily blowing; ripples on the pool from the cycling filter; foliage trembling in the breeze.

I feel: mild, damp air; achy back (I’ve been sitting too long); cool metal of the chair arm.

I smell: Cold coffee in my mug; dirt; green and growing things.

I taste: Coffee and biscotti.

The weather has been perfect for sitting outside this week, and I spent some time reading and writing on the lanai this morning. I’m amazed by all the sensory input even when I’m sitting quietly in my back yard!

What did you hear, see, smell, feel and taste today?

Senses

Come to Your Senses

August 20, 2010

Summertime lends itself to slowing down, savoring the moment. We lighten up our schedules and the long days encourage lingering at whatever we are doing. Who can bustle around full speed when it’s 92 degrees outside, and with the humidity, it feels like 105? I speak from personal experience.

What better way to savor the season than by “coming to our senses”—pausing to notice what is going on around us, what we see, hear, feel, taste and touch. I don’t know about you, but I often take for granted that my five senses work quite well, despite contact lenses and the occasional need for close captions on TV.

When I slow down enough to notice my surroundings, I find plenty to enjoy. Here are a few of the things I most enjoy when I come to my senses:

Taste…

  • Sweet, juicy watermelon
  • Crunchy, slightly sour salt & vinegar potato chips
  • Creamy, cold ice cream in a crisp waffle cone
Smell…
  • Freshly cut grass
  • Someone cooking on a charcoal grill
  • Fresh basil leaves snipped from my plant
  • Salt water and sand at the beach

See…
  • Green grass, blue sky, puffy white clouds
  • The faces of my son and his friends, flushed and sweaty from playing outdoors
  • Words on a page telling me a story or teaching me something
  • The four-legged miracle that is my horse, Tank

Hear…
  • Frogs singing at night
  • The hush before dusk
  • My favorite summer feel-good song played loud in the car (currently Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.” I dare you to sit still while listening.)
  • My husband playing the piano

Feel…

  • My dog's soft ears
  • Silky water on hot skin
  • Air conditioning after I’ve been sweating outside
  • Cool cotton sheets on my bed
This weekend, take 15 minutes to come to your senses. What did you see? Hear? Feel? What surprised you? What did you enjoy? Was there anything you didn’t like? Come back here and share your discoveries.