Mindfulness crops up a lot in Moodscope's blog posts, doesn't it. We all know the importance of it but if anxiety is our problem, perhaps frequently slamming into us like a freight train, we may find ourselves asking the question, how often am I actually, properly, mindful?

Er?

I can be quite mindful when applying my hand lotion.

Sometimes.

What's interesting is that I've realised I'm a collector of "mindful moments" from every book I read, carefully copying passages into whatever journal I'm keeping at the time.

I think I do this because I so much want to live in the moment more often and so these carefully crafted words inspire me to actually make it my own reality during the quotidian routine.

Here's a favourite:

'...they watched his mother make dinner. She spoke softly in Italian to the red sauce she simmered in the Dutch oven, the gigantic meatballs she rolled, the gold-coloured rosemary-scented focaccia she put on a tray out on the front porch to cool...'

An excerpt from The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg.

Was the mother's name Nigella, I wonder?

Hey, I'm not suggesting we start talking to the kid's fish finger butties here but it does inspire me to slow down when preparing food. To savour the chopping, the marinading, the stirring, the peeling, the testing and tasting.

Here's another:

'She took the fragrant lavender soap from her drawer...Rubbing it carefully between her palms she smoothed the lather over her face and neck, then rinsed it off with clear water from the bowl. Her skin felt wonderfully fresh. She repeated the process with each part of her body, taking her time, indulging herself, patting herself dry lightly. This was not washing; this was bathing,...'

An excerpt from Izette by Viv Packer.

Granted, the rush of life may dictate that this won't always be possible but mindfulness begets mindfulness. To simply be mindful of being mindful is half the battle won.

Maybe if we were to imagine ourselves as a Simon Armitage in any given moment; how would we describe the smell, sight, touch, sound, taste?

What mindful moments will you "write" today?

Suzy

A Moodscope member.