The jungle doesn't whisper at night...
It sings. Just after dawn until deep dusk, the air fills with a rising, electric hum that grows louder and louder until it feels like the entire rainforest in Costa Rica is breathing out loud.
That sound? Thousands of cicadas pouring their hearts into the world. An endless, pulsing chorus that wraps around you like a living blanket. On one recent morning, I stepped onto the deck and simply stood still as the song took over the moment the sun came out. One cicada landed on a broad leaf right in front of me, paused long enough for its wings to catch the last light, then joined the symphony again. In that moment, the wild felt completely alive... and I felt completely at home.
Cicadas are masters of timing. They spend years underground as nymphs, quietly growing in the dark soil of Costa Rica’s rainforests. Then, when the conditions are perfect, they emerge together in a synchronized burst of life. The males climb high into the trees and begin their relentless song. A vibrating love call that can be heard for miles.
It’s raw, unapologetic and impossibly loud.
In the quiet moments between the waves of sound, you can almost hear the jungle itself smiling. This is the soundtrack of the days here during the start of dry season. The same one I share in today’s new episode of WildHeart Radio - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5dvtB1EIdjVZ5QmOW7jJ2P?si=45c46abb1de44c91
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you love to hear podcast stories.
These tiny creatures don’t hold back. After years of waiting in silence, they emerge ready to be heard. They don’t worry about being too much or too loud. They simply sing with everything they have while they have the chance. That energy is contagious.
Listening to their chorus reminds me to live the same way. Fully, fearlessly and out loud. It’s a beautiful metaphor for the wild hearted life I chose in Costa Rica: stop hiding underground, trust the timing and let your song fill the day.
These cicada moments are why I keep chasing the wild... to capture and share the sounds and sights that make the heart feel wide awake.
What’s a sound in nature that instantly makes you feel alive?
