Sounds

Gratitude 4/2/2026

I am grateful for the gift of a new day.
My heart is filled with gratitude for the many blessings I have.
I will appreciate the small joys and express my thanks in all circumstances.
Let my attitude of gratitude bring joy to others.

I am so grateful for comforting sounds.

There are many many harsh or frightening sounds. I hate to hear the sound of a mouse gnawing on something in the house. I hate to hear the sound of a glass breaking or the incessant barking of a dog. When I was in college, I was very sick one day and just wanted to sleep on the top floor of my triple decker. But the dog in the building next door kept barking and barking. Periodically the owner would yell at the dog, “Skippy!!!” and he would stop for a short while, just enough time for me to fall asleep and then he would start up again.

Out here in rural Ohio, I periodically hear the sound of howling winds or the sound of gunfire. Once our neighbor had some friends over and they were shooting up a storm. I was working outside and even though we live in the middle of 100 acres, I was concerned that a stray bullet would come my way, so I went inside.

There are city noises, too. Those include jackhammers, cars reving their engines and car alarms that won’t quit.

But with all the bad noises, there are so many that are just beautiful and comforting. I love the rhythmic breathing of my husband as he’s sleeping. I love the sound of a mourning dove cooing. This time of year, when I hear peepers in the evening I feel that all is well.

We have the Seth Thomas wind up mantle clock that my grandparents had and the antique school house clock I bought my mother back in the 1980s. That gentle rhytmic tick ticking punctuated by the hourly chimes, are peaceful sounds that can calm me down even in anxious times.

I love the sound of a cat purring while sleeping on my lap or my dog sleeping soundly. I love the sound of my dog’s collar tags clinking as she comes running when I call or when she follows me into the tv room when I can’t sleep.

My daughter’s in-laws bought us hammocks after our children’s wedding in July, 2018. I love to lie out in the early evening on a hot summer day and listen to the sounds of gentle wind and birds, and animal sounds that I imagine were the same as anyone would hear centuries ago.

Since I took care of my granddaughter and we took walks every day, I am more in tune with different bird songs. I use the phone app, Merlin Bird ID, which identifies birds from the sounds they make. It is such a pleasure to hear, in addition to house sparrows, the songs of finches, robins, cardinals… even blue jays!

On our walks, we would also get excited when we heard the sound of a train whistle.

I have sweet memories of the sound of my mother singing Down in the Valley.

Roses love sunshine, violets love dew,
Angels in heaven know I love you;
Know I love you, dear, know I love you,
Angels in heaven know I love you.

I love the sound of a crackling fire in the wood burner on a cold night. Or the sound of waves breaking on a beach on a hot day in the sun.

And there is the comforting sound of the sump pump starting up during a heavy downpour, or the furance kicking in when it is cold outside.

Then there are the sounds of pure joy. Yesterday at the grocery store, I heard a toddler talking excitedly to his dad. He sounded just like my granddaughter did the night before when we were out on a walk and she kept saying, “I don’t want to go home yet.” I couldn’t help but smile.

My dad had a great wholehearted laugh that rings in my head. There are certain things that make my husband and me laugh uncontrollably, too. And there’s nothing like singing Happy Birthday to fill a room with joy.

I am so grateful to be surrounded by comforting and beautiful sounds of life on Earth.