I once ate lunch by myself while reading a book on mindfulness.
The Mexican restaurant filled as I ate my chips and salsa. I felt guilty about taking up a booth, reading while I waiting for my fajitas. Yet, there was always a table that freed before the pressure of looming patrons-to-be overcame me. I didn’t have to ask for my food to go. I didn’t have to scarf down my meal even faster than I usually would.
I once ate lunch by myself while reading a book on mindfulness.
Ha!
I was neither mindful of the book, of the meal, or of the people around me. My attention darted from sour cream to Buddhist teachings to overheard conversations to the beat of ranchera Muzak.
Maybe I will one day read a book mindfully.
Maybe one day I eat chips and salsa by myself mindfully.
Maybe one day I will observe other diners mindfully.
Maybe one day I will listen to Muzak mindfully.
Maybe then I will have a story worth writing.
Turning to my drafts folder for another Just Jot It January post. I think I started this as a poem, but it was just prose with liberal use of the Enter key.
****UPDATE****
I had to laugh when I saw this Reductress article pop up in my Twitter feed: “Mindful Eater Still Not Finished With Sunday’s Brunch.”
that cynking feeling 
I am discovering that being Mindful is tough, but so worth the practice 🙂 Enjoy this!
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It’s mentally exhausting to “multitask.” Rapidly shifting between tasks makes my brain feel scrambled. I feel frantic because I know that I haven’t given full attention to one thing or another. “Did I forget?” I find myself asking. It is tough to slow down and say, “I’m not going to worry about this while I do that.”
Thanks for your words of encouragement.
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You are most welcome, Cyn… I do enjoy slowing down and giving full attention to things. You will do great with this 🙂
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monkey get whole mindfulness thing but monkey wonder when someone speak up for many benefit of mindlessness. monkey notice it sometime pleasant & healthful for have vacuum in head.
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I find meditation so hard because I can never achieve mindlessness. Little thoughts keep bouncing around my skull when I’m supposed to be focused on my breathing. If only I could have a head full of stuffing for those moments.
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Mindfulness, for something that seems so simple, can be very difficult. It takes practice and dedication, but it’s important.
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