Hello!
Did you hear that?
I never used to be a morning person. Quite the opposite actually. There were times when I would go to bed as the sun was beginning to rise. That was my natural rhythm until Rudy came into our lives. I was forever changed.
I feel “off” for the whole day if I am not up at least as the sun is beginning to rise above the horizon. Dawn.
Just before the sun rises or as the first rays of light dance in the sky is magical. The colors can be beyond words. This moment is just that, a moment. There is a peace and stillness as the world begins to wake up that I don’t feel at any other time of day. The air feels different somehow. One bird might begin to sing his morning song. Some animals begin to wake up and come into our yard. No cars passing by or planes flying over. I love this time of day.
And then the sun floats up into the sky creating long shadows. I get lost in the feeling of the moment.
This morning I am sitting in a lounge chair on the screened porch watching our kitties Max & Luna frolic and chase after an insect, butterfly, chipmunk or passing bird.
A cat bird is singing the most beautiful opera that seems to come from the depths of her very soul. Other birds join in creating a symphony of music. Squirrels chasing each other up, down and all around a tree trunk as blue jays drink water from the bird bath.
Max’s attention is laser focused. I turn to see what has his attention. The cat bird is hopping from branch to branch in the blueberry bush right next to the porch screen. I can feel its energy as it flits from branch to branch.
The tap tap tap tap of a woodpecker on a distant tree pierces the air and a frog lets out a single loud croak. His frog brothers and sisters respond to his song and for a few delightful minutes they chatter, croak and sputter back and forth. Delightful conversation. The energy from their conversation and song totally cracked me up!
I breathe it all in and as I breathe out, I let go.
I did not realize that I was holding tension in my body, but I am not surprised. It feels good to release in this way. I breathe into the rhythms of the birds and animals.
A baby red fox walks by. She must be old enough to be out on her own now, but she is just a little tiny thing.
Several deer come and go in the yard. One sees me and walks closer, quite curious and clearly wondering why I am not coming out to give her some bird food. I filled the bird feeders an hour earlier.
I say “Hello”. She continues to stare at me. I feel a sensation in my heart center and know we are connected in the moment. My heart feels like it is smiling.
Do you say Hello to wild animals and listen for a Hello back?
It is the most wonderful and fun thing to do.
I invite you to give it a try if you have not done so before. No matter what time of day it is or where you are, you can always say “Hello” to another living being and receive a Hello back. It doesn’t matter where you live, there are animals and living beings all over the world from cities to the country and all places in-between. There are so many “Hellos” to give and receive.
Saying Hello can be a first step in learning how to connect with animals and nature. I imagine you have done this at some point in your life, said Hello to a dog, cat, horse or even a flower, but you can take the Hello a step further. Listen for a “Hello” back.
You will most likely not hear the word HELLO, but you can and will receive it. You may hear a “Hi” or “Hello” in your mind. You might sense a different feeling in your body or your heart or you may have a sense of knowing that there is a connection and a greeting coming directly from the animal to you.
Everyone receives a HELLO in a different way. Go ahead, give it a try. Say “Hi” and notice what happens.
One of my favorite things to do when I am driving in my car is to say Hello to a dog that is in the stopped car beside me or in front of me. It is so much fun. They are usually very distracted by all of the things going on around them as their car moves down the road. That’s ok. Go ahead and say HELLO and listen for a Hello back. Wait for it. It will happen very fast. You can say the Hello out loud or silently, it doesn’t matter.
Sometimes the dog will stop right away and actually look at me. I say Hello again and thank them. Other times they are really busy, so I will say Hello again.
I remember one dog that was in the back of a car walking from side to side looking out each of the windows. I said Hello and nothing happened. I said it again, but he kept walking back and forth. I noticed a pause as he was asking, “Did I hear that?” I replied, “Yes you did! I’m over here! Look behind you. Hi!” And then he looked right at me in disbelief that a human would actually be connecting with him in such a way. I felt a short “Hello” back with the question, “Are you talking to me?” I silently said “yes” followed by “thank you”. The dog went back to checking out the world from his car as the traffic light turned green and we went our separate ways.
I often feel the hello-back, in my heart center. It is a happy feeling and a feeling of connection. The connection can be brief, but it is a connection.
This hello is one of the first steps to experiencing a deeper communication with another being.
I invite you to join me in a short Guided Meditation to say Hello and have a sweet connection with all of life that surrounds you.
I hope you had fun journey as you greeted many beings. I would love to hear what you experienced. Please share a comment below or send me an email.
Have fun saying Hello and listening for a response from every animal and being that you see.
