Wind Chimes

In the beginning, long, long ago, two sticks clicked together in the wind and someone called it good. Not so fast.
 
Over the years, I have become a wind chime connoisseur. I have tried clay bells, porcelain, wood, and metal, but none of these had the right tone. It should be pleasing to the ear, and harmonious, neither a high-pitched glass tinkle nor a resounding gong.  To me a wind chime should smooth away the frown lines between my eyes and soothe my inner being. Stress and worries should float away with the refreshing sound of the pipes as a breeze stirs the wind catcher.
 
The first time my husband and I went to San Diego, my sister took us to Seaport Village. We loved visiting the shops, eating at a seafood restaurant and walking along the boardwalk. One year we frequented Seaport Village a number of times as each son graduated from boot camp. Over the two-day process of graduation, our evenings were free and we spent them walking as far as we could along the sea wall or looking into the shops. One shop in particular was a favorite. It sold wind chimes.
 
In the past, I collected wind chimes but each one was no better than the next.  I was searching for something, but didn’t know what I was looking for. When we entered the shop, we were a bit overwhelmed with the selection. Every size you could imagine was represented. The shopkeeper was very helpful in explaining the process it took to create each chime down to the fine-tuning. We would set the wind catchers in motion and listen to the sounds. We found one that we kept going back to. It wasn’t the biggest, but it’s range was so melodious.
Our wind chime has delighted my ear for years. Even when a storm approaches and the gusts are blowing dust, my wind chimes go into a full orchestra of sound and resonates through our neighbor’s yards, but we have never had a complaint.
 
If you would close your eyes, listen to the beauty of a finely tuned, and melodious wind chime, you would never go back to the jarring clank of a cheap clay pot.