The Crickets Lullaby

As summer begins to wind down, and school days are about to begin, I find myself appreciating some of the consistencies of summer. For those of us not living in cities, summer nights are full of sounds–insects buzzing and flying into screens, the hoot of an owl, sometimes a fox, or a dog, or even some distant thunder on warm sultry nights. Cicadas and crickets. I always told my children that these summer night times voices, were the Crickets’ Lullaby. Going to sleep to the sounds of this lullaby was often a soothing reminder that certain things are constant.

Like all lullabies, I offered the Cricket’s Lullaby as a means of comfort to my children. A
reminder of my never-ending love for them. Listening to the lullaby was also a gentle reminder that every day, even on our worst days, there are sources of comfort all around us. There are things that anchor us to people and places that we love. Things that remind us that no matter what may be happening in the world, some things, like love, will never change. Those of us who wake at dawn often notice how quiet and still the world is, just before the birds begin to sing. Sometime during the night, the Crickets’ Lullaby ceases, and all is quiet and well. Problems and concerns that were heavy on our heart at the end of the day seem to have found a place in our hearts and minds where we can now deal with them effectively.

For many of us, it feels like our post-COVID world is very busy. The hum of electronics and air conditioning threatens to drown out the Cricket’s Lullaby. As summer draws to a close, there will be fewer and fewer “lullaby nights,” so as the seasons change, let us take with us the knowledge that there is a rhythm to life. There will always be heartache and sorrow, just as there will always be joy and delight.

Whether we are at peace or in turmoil, we can ground ourselves in the gifts all around us and in what we are grateful for. Each day, I acknowledge three things that I’ve experienced that day for which I am grateful. This practice gives me a sense of comfort and security. My anxieties are abated when I appreciate what I do have, rather than what I long for. Ending each day gratefully can be as simple as experiencing gratitude for the sunset you saw, or the hug you received or a loved one’s voice that you heard. The point is that even on our worst days, there is always something to be grateful for. We can depend on that. The Crickets’ Lullaby remind us that beauty and goodness and love will always exist in the world, and it is up to us to listen for it and be comforted.