Stories of Kindness from Around the World

As soft as a newborn’s cooing,

 silence was broken,

my ears tingling with joy

from life all around me.

I heard the birds singing,

and the cicadas humming.

An occasional car

passing on the highway,

its tires whirring against concrete.

A dog barking somewhere close by

and the “bob-white”

of a quail in the distance.

My telephone jingling on the base,

awaiting my greeting to the caller.

The good morning meows of my cats

as they anxiously awaited

breakfast of crunchy nibble.

I smelled the freshness of soap and water

wafting out from the bathroom door.

The sweet tartness of applesauce

as it simmered on my stovetop.

I smelled coffee brewing in the kitchen,

the aroma taking my memories back

to my days of youth and

evenings spent with my grandparents.

Flowers sporting their sweet scents

each proudly reaching up

toward the sunny sky.

Freshly laundered clothes

tossing and bouncing

around in the clothes dryer.

I watched my brown and white puppy

chasing flies around and around in his kennel.

I watched in amusement

as my yellow kitten

bathed himself,

meticulously caressing his paws and tail.

I saw the many cobwebs on my screened porch

dancing in the corners to the summer breeze.

I smiled as cardinals,

gold finch and indigo buntings

flitted here and there, on and under the feeders

which hang on oak tree branches in my backyard.

With one hand I stroked the

downy-soft fur of my grey cat

and scratched her ears with the other hand.

I felt the richness of the soil in my hands

as I planted tomatoes in my garden.

I felt the coolness of raindrops

as they sprinkled down from the sky

onto my outstretched hands.

I tasted the minty coolness of my toothpaste

as I brushed my teeth, my mouth feeling so fresh.

The freshly picked sweet watermelon,

its juices dribbling down my chin.

The cold, sweet carbonation

in my can of soda,

the bubbles tickling my throat.

And then,

like a nudge from God,

I realized

the sights, smells,

sounds, tastes and feelings

were signs.

Signs of life,

of my life.

For some reason

I had paid particular attention

this day and I reveled

in each and every one.

© Jean Stone Hodges   ~  7-7-05