Peace in Nature

EYES CLOSED, I let my ears take over,
giving full attention to sound:
crickets, birds, traffic in the distance,
wind through cattails,
even the soft in and out of my own breath
as it slows to nature’s pace.

I open my eyes to green—so many shades,
and the dried, golden color of hay,
cut and bound into large, tight rolls,
scattered about the field
like giant grazing beasts.

The gentle breeze on my skin,
the lumpy field beneath my feet,
the pure burst of sunlight in my mouth,
as I bite into a tomato fresh from the vine.

This is when life makes sense.

—Chris Heeter