One Thing I Can Do Today

I think that today, I'll consciously practice being mindful. That is, I'll do my best to be fully aware of my surroundings, and I'll try to look more closely at everything I can, whether it interests me or not. A mindful existence is not a judgmental existence, so it's important that I keep my mind and heart open to new things, new experiences, and new details.

What will the benefit to me be if I'm more mindful today? For starters, I'll learn more about the world, even if my mindfulness is focused on something seemingly trivial. So much of what we see represents on a micro scale the world on a macro scale. For example, I just looked at a leaf on the Ficus tree next to me and I noticed how each leaf is held be a slender stem to the branch from which it grew. The leaf itself has grown and developed independently of the branch, but the branch has provided much of the nutrients that it needs to do so. It reminds me of a child's relationship with the family, or an individual's relationship with God, or a student's relationship with the teacher. A slender, tender stem keeps us connected with so many things as we grow and develop on our own.

And the leaves were all very pretty, and each completely unique. It's a beautiful tree that I don't look at or appreciate nearly enough.

If I'm mindful, I might hear the catch in the voice when someone says "I'm fine." I may see the attempt to avoid eye contact that tells me something's wrong. I may realize why what I've been trying to do hasn't been working. I may have that epiphany that I've been hoping to have. If I'm not mindful, I can guarantee you that I'll have none of that.

So today, I'm going to consciously practice being mindful.