Last night I had the pleasure and blessing of sitting in a temple with about twenty other people singing songs of praise and devotion for about two hours.  Next to sitting in a place of exquisite natural beauty, this might be one of my most favorite things to do to lift my spirit.

Where would we be without music?  Music is medicine to our ears like beautiful art is medicine to our eyes.  Can you imagine a world without music?  Can you imagine voices which can talk and yell and scream, but never sing?  Can you imagine a world without birdsong?  That would be a very, very sad world.

Some people play music almost constantly.  They listen to it while they shower, while they drive, while they work, while they make love.  Others pay large sums to hear music at concerts or symphonies.  I, however, have always enjoyed the music of the natural world.

Which are your favorites?

·        The sound of the wind whistling and rustling through the pines.

·        The mesmerizing sound of the roar and rush of the ocean’s waves tumbling toward the shore.

·        The sound of a stream as it falls and tumbles over rocks.

·        The cheerful sound of birds greeting the morning.

·        The serene sound of peepers or crickets peeping and chirping.

·        The unique sound of coyotes singing.

·        The haunting sound of wolves howling.

·        The soothing sound of a river or lake gently lapping at the shore.

·        The peace of a cat purring.

·        The gentle hum of honeybees hovering around flowers.

·        The gay sound of children laughing.

·        The sound of a crackling fire.

·        The murmurs and sighs of a lover.

·        The sound of the humming, buzzing, and chirping of hummingbirds.

And for slightly less “natural” but still beautiful sounds, how about:

·        The sound of wind chimes?

·        The sound of singing bowls?

We are blessed with so many senses.  There is beauty in sight, sound, smell, and touch.

Today I celebrate the blessing of Song.  I am so grateful for the music of this Earth.  Blessings do indeed abound.

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