Becoming more mindful

The first thing I do when I get up each morning is open the curtains to see what the day is like.

My view is of the sea and Rangitoto, and my front yard and trees. I can tell at a glance what the morning is like and today was calm and clear, as it has been for several days now.

However one thing was different. I heard something off in the bay that sounded like gurgling water, almost like a river flowing over rocks. That's odd, I thought. I opened the window wide and could definitely hear something unusual out there.

By this time Betsy-cat was adding her breakfast howls to the mix so I gave her some food and then went out on the deck to have a closer look at the sea.

Right off the beach there was a huge conflagration of little fish - would've been thousands - all leaping and flapping about, making the sound of rushing water. I was tempted to go down to the beach for a closer observation but thought, well, I'm in my pajamas and slippers ... but would that really matter right now when the world is so bizarre anyway.

The sound of the fish carried right around the bay and there were other gatherings further out of larger fish that were leaping out of the water, silvery in the sunlight, having a good old splash around.

I realised that under 'normal circumstances' (that is, rushing to get out of bed, feed cat, have shower, get dressed, get to work) I may not have noticed the odd sounds of the fish jamboree going on, and if I had, I might've not paid any attention.

On our daily walks I notice more and more people on the beach, some bring their chairs and cold drinks or thermoses of tea. Many are just sitting, looking, enjoying the sights and sounds and the warmth of sunshine. Of course all are observing the rules of 'social distance' unless they belong to the same 'bubble'. 

Are we all slowing down to the point that we are actually seeing things, I mean really taking time to watch, notice, feel, smell ....  Because the future is so uncertain are we living more 'in the now', the day to day, the hour to hour, minute to minute? At first there was a lot of anxiety over the future, now we're settling down a bit, perhaps more accepting of how things are, there's not much else we can do anyway so why not enjoy what's right in front of us? 

And there is a lot to enjoy. Be in the moment. Indulge your senses. Take it in. Find some happiness, even if only for a little while. It's worth its weight in gold.       

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