Mindfulness

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on mindfulness lately and what it means in my life. And it really hit home today when I was out on a walk.

I usually take a walk after print deadline at the paper I work for. This is for me to clear my head, rest my eyes, ect. Today I found myself (as I normally do) answering emails and texts as I’m walking down the street.

And it occurred to me — this isn’t mindful — AT ALL. I was missing the entire point of my walk!

I was worried about a work situation. I had all these emails to answer.

I had to remind myself: will the work situation be there in 20 minutes? Yes. Will those emails explode in the 20 minutes it takes me to walk? No.

So, I put the phone away and I focused on my walk.

I focused on the cool air and what it felt like going into my lungs — and the sheer beauty of that breath, because it’s promised to none of us.

I focused on the song the crickets were singing all around me — they are here for such a short time each season.

I focused on the way the water pooled around areas of the railroad tracks.

I focused on the fragrance of the flowers I was walking by.

Then I started over and focused on the cool air passing through my lungs.

I listened to the crunching sound my shoes made as I walked over sand on the sidewalk.

Mindfulness.

Now that I’m back from my walk, there are emails to answer, work things to do — and I aim to do all those now. Mindfully. Giving them my full attention.