The View from a Drawbridge

According to Psychology Today, “Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention to the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.”

I have to admit that I suck at this. I don’t even have the patience to attempt meditation. I’m too busy planning and organizing and making contingencies for anticipated disaster. I suppose this comes from a lifetime of being the only one in my boat. If I don’t steer this thing, who will?

But every once in a while, through no effort of my own, I get a brief, shining moment of mindfulness. I’ll look about me and realize that this moment, right now, is perfect in every way, even if there are flaws. The light glinting off the water, the tangy bite of citrus, the people I’m with… all somehow combine to make me realize that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on earth.

Everything seems to fall into place in times like these. I’m convinced that it’s these moments that will flash before my eyes when I celebrate my life on my way to the next state of being. Whatever that may be.

Anyone who regularly practices mindfulness is a fortunate person indeed. I’m working on it. I’ll probably never achieve perfection in this realm. But even having just a few seconds of it now and again in a lifetime is a precious gift.