Whistle While You Work

My home office is toward the front of my house. It faces the ever-so-busy-with-people street; neighbors chatting, dogs walking their owners, stroller-pushers and occasionally a glimpse of the fun lady on her tricycle—waving her giant bubble-making wand along the "mountain view" drive. I love this neighborhood. From the driver's seat of my ergonomic desk chair, I can hear everything! From the conversations collecting on the corner to dogs barking their territorial reminders. Some of my personal favorite sound bites come from the neighbors giving personal tours to their friends and family of my garden and the mosaics I have created on my front wall and fireplace. This makes me happy—knowing that I have created beauty that others enjoy as much as I do. Very happy indeed.

This morning, as I was pounding away on my computer keyboard, I could hear a very beautiful tune being whistled, and by no one I audibly recognized. (You get to know these things around here.) I pushed open the drapes to catch a glimpse of a man on a bike, fashioned with an extension of small wheels, carrying his treasure of recyclables. He pedal-pushed in an unhurried cadence, something along the lines of a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, except its Wednesday and he's in the middle of the street. There was something striking about this picture, a man collecting cans and bottles presumably for his livelihood, pedaling a bike loaded down with the weight of aluminum and glass and whistling a happy tune.

It made me wonder. Does it make you wonder, too?

Work happily interrupted, I wandered out to catch up with the man whistling a happy tune. Juan from Uruguay. I started out with English and asked if he understood. He shook his head no, explained in brevity that he didn't understand much English, even after being here for 34 years. In my best attempt at Spanish laced with awkward motions of basic sign language, I told him I heard his whistling and how beautiful his song was. I wanted to know if he was—happy. He smiled into the lines carved deeply into his face, and nodded his head with a universal "Yes." I smiled back. I was happy too.

My instincts rarely let me down, my senses very keen—I see and hear everything. And more than not, I follow the path and signs that are lit up for me to follow. As I progress through my life journey, my senses heighten and my heart yearns to mingle with more moments like these. Today I was blessed with Juan from Uruguay—whistling while he worked.

What would it take for you to whistle a happy tune—at work, or anywhere in the moment?

I'm whistling right now.