These past few weeks, as my job has ramped up, and my mind seems to constantly be on work — when I wake in the middle of the night, when I wake in the morning, as I walk, run, swim, eat — I’ve taken to sitting on a cushion on our bedroom floor for ten minutes before I begin my day. I open the curtains, I open the window, I gaze out at the green trees, and I listen. I listen to the birds and their gay chirping. When I notice my mind has wandered, I bring it back to their song echoing off the leaves and the mountainsides.

There’s something powerful in listening. It can be hard to do: we want to barrel ahead with what’s on our minds, with our thoughts, our ideas, our version, our perspective. But when we stop and listen, we gain so much more. When we listen to our bodies, they guide us toward health. When we listen to our emotions, they guide us to our values. When we listen to the birds, they open us to the world around us.

When we listen to people, they open us to the possibility of understanding. Listening opens us to the possibility of resolving conflict and to the possibility of compassion. When we listen, we open ourselves to connection, which to me is one of the great rewards of living.

I’m not always great at listening. I go deep in my thoughts and don’t hear the birds, or I avoid uncomfortable feelings, or I turn a conversation to my own perspective when someone is sharing about themselves. To listen is to be a kind and caring human, though. I think listening is key to succeeding at life. I’ll keep working at it.