As I drove in to work this morning a pair of recently born foals caught my eye. I couldn’t help marveling at the beauty and serenity of the moment. This triggered a heightened sense of awareness and appreciation. Many other details of the moment became clear, the bright green of the grass which still glistened with dew, the two chocolate brown mares that grazed contentedly not too far
from their babies, the incredible blue shade of the sky with the partial alabaster moon still visible, and the warmth inside my car that was created by the sun.
I was reminded of the power and the value that being present brings and then began to wonder how I could ensure that I bring this level of awareness to my day-to-day actions on a more frequent basis.
I often talk with groups about being present and the myth of multitasking, which is really nothing more than handling a series of tasks in rapid succession at best and going on autopilot at worst. In Dewitt Jones film, Celebrate What’s Right with the World, he asks a weaver what she thinks about when she is weaving. Her simply reply “I worry about running out of thread” followed by “when I weave, I weave” is a start on how to be present When we fail to be present we cheat ourselves’ and those we are interacting with or the task we are performing our full attention and best effort.
I invite you to share some of your thoughts for making the art of “being present” a more mindful habit.
Enjoy your day and those around you!
-Lisa Nack