je ne sais quoi

On a bench, slightly hidden
A mild breeze passing through
Oak leaves shimmering above

The sun, bright and evident
yet not overpowering,
more mellow, like a hug

A faint melody is heard
Calm chords, peaceful progressions
Dotted around the campus

In the backdrop, mechanical noises
The humdrum to be parsed from the music
Almost like crickets in the evening

Nearby, some gather around a small circle
Touch, touch, net
A shout of frustration, a cry of victory

The melodies change
Moodier, more vigorous
Yet still faint

An opportunity to slow down
To rest in and listen,
to see and feel

A group walks by,
Later, a solitary figure
Another, in their own world of music

All glance at the activity
Some smile, some look again
A sense of something shared in the air

What is it?
Not quite grasped, not quite worded
yet we know it, we feel it

Something beautiful
Something profound
Something that screams Truth

Switching to a major key
Sustained and at pace
Ever still faint

“Whatever is true, whatever is honourable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable;

if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise—
think about these things,”

Look around
See, hear, feel;
Think about these things.