I had a deep craving and thought it was silence that my soul needed. But as I sat in meditation, birdsong streamed in through my open window, carried on a lilting breeze.

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With my eyes gently closed, I relaxed deeper. I heard cars rolling down my street and an airplane gliding high in the sunny blue sky.

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My body relaxed. Limp legs. Melting arms. Soft abs. Inhale. Exhale.

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I thought I longed for silence, but what my soul needed most was stillness—the active kind that bursts with life and sounds. And so, while the breeze blew softly, the clouds floated effortlessly, and the birds piped passionately, I sat in stillness, appreciating the ambient noise, and celebrated a magnificent ordinary day.