As I wrote in my previous post, Sanctuary, one of the places that grounds me is being in nature. For me, it is a return to something foundational. While I cannot name what that foundational place is, my mind, body, and soul know it. I notice in this place that I change.

On this mid-summer day, I’m sitting by the Mill Stream at East Lampeter Community Park. I become attentive to the world around me. There is full foliage with its full spectrum of greens that shift and change in the breeze. Amid its swaying, the corn across the stream is calling for rain. A groundhog wanders nearby eating choice leaves from the edge of the woods. Robins and woodpeckers glide from tree to tree and a vulture’s shadow crosses the ground. The humid air smells of sweetness… a sweetness that can be tasted in the raspberries, corn, and other produce of the season.

You may ask why it is important to practice this and other types of noticing. Pausing in silence to allow our senses to become more aware of our surroundings impacts how we relate to each other. When was the last time someone focused on you and you felt truly heard? Not only for what you said, but how you said it, and even what was said in the silence. The skill of deep listening is waning in our culture. The busyness of business and our personal lives leaves little room for noticing.

​Listening well is one of the traits we hope to embody in our work. We haven’t mastered it but hearing what you desire for your home is one of our highest goals. Noticing who you are and what brings you to life is our passion. Take some time today to reflect on the people in your life who truly listen to you.