The dust kicked off my hiking boots with every step I took on the back trail. The sun was full up in the sky and I don’t usually hike at this hour but I wanted to squeeze it in before my schedule got too hectic. The trail was empty and it felt good to be alone for a while. I had some buds in my ears but in the shade area I stopped to take them off.
Listening quietly I tried to hear all that was being spoken. The breeze was so gentle to tickle the dried leaves among the trees. They provided a continuous hum echoed by the hillsides. Now and again I could hear and see a squirrel hustle about. Finding a large tree, I made myself sit for a while in the brittle grass. I had no words to speak, it was time to just listen.