Taking the Time to Listen

Yesterday I went up to Sundance with some of my family.

This mountain retreat was crowded, but beautiful.

The temperature cool and perfect, a nice reprieve from the Summer heat.

As we were walking over a bridge I paused to listen to the stream rushing past.  I leaned on the railing and looked over, taking in the cacophony of bubbling water.  The rushing sound was great, loud, yet soothing.  As I looked from one part of the stream to the other I noticed that I could pick out that particular sound before moving on to the next.  One bubbling rush singled out from all the others.  When I wasn't focusing all the sounds meshed together.  When I focused on individual parts, those individual parts were heard.

And then I realized this pertains to us.  So many voices, so many ideas, opinions, griefs, joys sounding out at the same time making a cacophony of human voices.  When we don't focus all we hear is a huge rush of sound.  It's so easy not to try.  It's so easy not to listen, but every voice is important and deserves to be heard.  We need to hear the voices that are getting drowned out, both in our personal life and with the World.  Understand and notice, while standing firm, but being aware and open.

It is wondrous how the loud sound of rushing water is so soothing.  It's the sound of chaos balancing together in a wonderful breath of harmony.