It was one of those days, when she knew her heart needed it – a taste of nature. It was one of those days when a wander in the park was just what she needed.

It was always the same. She would walk, then stop and listen. She would listen to her heart beating, to her breath, and, of course, to all the sounds emerging from the world around her. She would take in the sounds and the sights. The rustling of the leaves and the reflection of the still pond soothed her. She watched the leaves floating there. She saw the water beautifully reflecting all the world.

She stood still to mimic the tree trunk buried in the grass, content in its place.

And always, she was watching the light, attentive to its movement, to its journey as it danced across the ground, across the trees, and across her.

She knew she could not fully grasp all that was happening around her. She could not perceive it all. It was simply too abundant. But there was no sadness in her. Only gratitude. Because she knew it was always there, always waiting, always.

-Eyes wide open, Chinwe