May you live all the days of your life.
--Jonathan Swift
It seems it is part of the human condition to be preoccupied. Sometimes it is the distractions of the external world, but for me it is more often the distractions of my own thoughts. I most notice it when I am driving and realize that I have not been aware of any of my surroundings for the past several miles. Joan Borysenko says that a big part of our spiritual journey is to train the "monkey mind": the mind that jumps from topic to topic without ever fully attending to any. To really live all the days of our lives requires that we are mindful of what we are doing, of what is happening in our surroundings. It takes discipline to not 'numb out' by thoughts of worry or anger, or watching television, or participating in social networks on the Internet --- and these are some of the more innocuous ways we as humans tune out. There are also addictions: drugs, alcohol, sex, food - to name a few. One thing is certain: This is the only life that we are certain of having. It is important that we live it. Today, let us notice several times an hour if we are fully present to the current experience of our lives. Your life is precious, and you deserve to fully enjoy it.
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