From time to time, it’s nice to take a moment to remember who and where you are at this very moment.
Everything moves so quickly. Our attention is pulled here and there. We’re anxious. We’re 10 steps ahead. But what about being right here, right now? That, well…that we can use practice on.
Mindfulness is a concept I started hearing about while I was in college. I first saw it pop up in an article I was reading about the benefits of meditation in the workplace. The idea of being present in the moment can be conducive to better focus, less stress, and an overall sense of well-being.
Like most things, even though it’s good for us, we don’t do it as often as we should.
Planning ahead gives me a sense of security. It helps me cut through the overwhelm – until it makes me feel that very sense of dread I’m trying to avoid. But presence of mind to stay in the present can be nice. Lovely, even.
I make reminders for myself to stay in the moment and then get frustrated when I don’t. Imagine my surprise to find that mindfulness can occur when you take a break from trying so hard to be conscious. And when it does, appreciate it for the thing of beauty it is.
The other night, I went to a party at a friends house. I sat on a multi-colored rug surrounded by clothing racks with another friend and we talked. The conversation went to and fro, deep and shallow, things big and little, and it was…nice. No purpose or direction, just being there with one other person and appreciating the conversation for what it was. A spark of connection that reminds you why this friendship is important to you and why you enjoy spending time with this person. Trust and respect for what you’re both doing and saying. Participating. No expectations. Present.
Granted, I had one can of Miller Lite in my system, but I was present all the same. And it was a beautiful thing.