The Earth Has Music For Those Who Listen

Today I was having a bit of a low morning mood-wise, plus we needed groceries and trash stickers.

(Don't ask.)

Only a few select places sell the stickers required for our city's very strange trash pickup system and I decided that this was as good an excuse as any to go to Whole Foods, which is one of the places that carries them. I'm a bit too frugal to actually shop at Whole Foods for most things so I devised a plan. I would take myself on a little "me" date to Whole Foods and then go get our groceries across the street at Trader Joe's. Perfect.

When I got there it was blissfully uncrowded, it being a Wednesday morning, and I walked past the carts and baskets and straight to the coffee counter to order myself a small coffee with cream. This is a decadent thing for me these days since I've pretty much given up coffee, and not for lack of a taste for it. Already I was feeling better.

Drink in hand I sauntered over to the beauty aisle where I leisurely browsed the organic soaps and all-natural lotions and sipped. I considered getting myself a treat (the chamomile and lavender moisturizing mist tempted me) but decided instead that just wandering and sniffing and looking at the pretty packaging was more fun. The goal here was pure therapy by way of zoning out and indulging in the senses and I really didn't need to buy anything to get that.

When I was done with my coffee I went over to customer service, bought my trash stickers and a book of stamps from a very kind cashier and left feeling noticeably refreshed. It was lovely.

And then, to top it off, Trader Joe's didn't let me down. I came home with blood oranges and the makings for BLTs and dark chocolate coconut almonds.

You know, I have this theory that when things seem a little bleak that's actually when we notice and recognize small beauties most clearly. On a normal day blood oranges are just blood oranges, but on a dreary day they can become something special and purposeful. When our emotional state has room for improvement we are suddenly in a position to rejoice over anything that might cross our path, anything that might lift us, anything our heart chooses to latch on to.

Another thing I discovered at Trader Joe's was their greeting card section, which I hadn't ever noticed before. One card was blue and yellow and pink and beautifully designed and it said, The Earth has music for those who listen.

I couldn't help but think that card was for me. Because of circumstances that I would change in a second if I could, I was feeling low. But also because of these circumstances I was listening with all my heart for guidance and watching out for every bit of loveliness I could cling to.

It's true. The Earth has music for those who listen. My music this morning was a cup of coffee and a basket of blood oranges. And a good helping of grace.