One Breath at a Time
Being present in all that we do.
Original photo by David E. Marlow©2022
Falling Awake
The weather has been glorious here the past week. A rare combination of sunny skies and warm temperatures with a backdrop of color one only finds in fall.
While running, I focus on being present where I’m ‘falling awake.’
Such an approach has many rewards, among them surprises like this leaf.
Running up a hill covered in oaks big enough you can’t wrap your arms around them I spied this leaf falling.
Without changing my pace, it dropped between my hands and I caught it.
A Mindful Moment
Catching that leaf brought back a decades-old memory of one of my first mindful moments.
My brother owns a home on a small lake surrounded by woods. It’s a beautiful place, even in the winter.
One winter weekend visit, I was up before anyone else in the family.
Not wanting to wake anyone, I sat quietly by the window and looked out on the lake.
Dried pin oak leaves with curled pointed ends dotted the frozen surface.
Time to Practice
A few weeks before this, I had begun studying mindfulness and decided to practice at that moment. As I did, the wind crossed the lake, moving a few of the leaves.
At first glance, it appeared they were standing on the surface, and as the wind blew, they skated across.
The wind would reach two, and they would move then stop, and two behind would move like they were catching up to the first two.
I watched the leaves dance and skate across the lake for what seemed like hours. In reality, it was 30 minutes. Then I heard the coffee maker kick on, and people started to stir.
That mindful time is etched in my memory. Recalling those events, I once again sense the peace and presence I felt then.
Mindful moments are possible at any time. Some of them can remain with us for a lifetime.
