Sunday 1st July 2018. 5.50am. Gold Coast, Australia. The symphony begins…

It is winter and the air has a chill before the sun begins to rise.

Because of long working hours and tight deadlines I haven’t been walking much lately. I decided to get out of the warmth and comfort of the bed and get some fresh air and brisk exercise.

Flying Foxes

As I walked through the easement one house up from me and down the hill I watched as the first tinges of light on the distant forested hills provided a stunning backdrop to the silhouettes of flying foxes coming home to roost.

Walking down the hill to the end of the street I could hear the screeching and chattering of these flying mammals as they settle down to sleep the day away vertically in their arboreal beds while the day begins to stir.

It reminded me that at night time and the early hours of the morning another world, another life exists. It also brought a sense of gratitude as I thought how lucky I was to have a roosting colony of bats only down the road in my suburb.

Kookaburras

As I continued up the hill walking along the side of the road as there were no cars stirring yet, the kookaburras began their morning laughter.

Symphony of Life

Then past the school and walking along the river bank and park I again thought how lucky I was to live here to be surrounded by a symphony of birds.

Chattering finches, screeching cockatoos, honking ibis, conversing rainbow lorikeets, melodious currawongs – the more I listened the more birds I heard.

Here is a recording of me walking through this symphony of life.

The river banks had been revegetated by caring local volunteers and this had only helped to bring nature back into the heart of where we live.

Symphony of Sunrise

As I got back onto Gilston Road up to the intersection I was stopped in my tracks by the incredible light show that nature provided with a sunrise of yellows, oranges and reds.

Finding Abundance

The simple act of walking made me realise just how lucky I am to live here and no matter how busy life gets, if I want to feel abundant all I need to do is put on my shoes, open the door and go for a walk.

A perfect day to be a bird, or to be in a balloon. A perfect day to be alive.