When Cloudy Days Are Beautiful

Some days beckon me to slow down and be quiet, to skip the noise and energy of the gym and walk outside instead. Some mornings invite me to hear in the hush what I usually don’t hear in the rush and routine. ' I awoke to one of those mornings when the cool air through my open window caused me to snuggle a little deeper under my blankets, and the overcast sky seemed to whisper, “Don’t hurry.” Instead of jumping into my day, I sat at my computer to unravel my thoughts, as a breeze lightly fluttered my white lace curtains. The sound of children laughing nearby pulled me outside,and I smiled as I walked by their energetic game of kickball, their excitement for recess increased by the excitement of a school year nearing its end. A few miles away, the bells from the campus tower chimed their familiar tune, and a train whistled as it rolled through town.

How often do I notice these sounds? I walked through the neighborhood of cozy, older homes and viewed a manicured lawn, splashed with the red, purple, and yellow of thriving flowers. I noticed fresh boards on an empty lot where the foundation for a new, small home had already been poured. ' How often do I notice these sights? ' Fresh wooden boards, colorful flowers, the laughter of children, or whistles of trains traveling to unknown destinations are not sights and sounds unique to only unrushed days or cloudy mornings. They are often happening in my daily rush of errands or the chaos to get enough things done. I simply have the choice to get quiet enough to notice them.