Day 329 of #LiveWell2017

During my morning routine today, I reached for a book I haven’t read in many years, looking for a bit of inspiration. As I flipped through The Earth Speaks, the following passage by Robert Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, caught my attention:

Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you are no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountains which sustain life, not the top…

This is mindfulness. Being present and attentive to what is right in front of you, right now. As I walked in the woods with my family this afternoon, I thought about Pirsig’s advice. There was no need to hurry, no need to finish. Enjoying each moment – the birds, the flower seed pods, the quiet conversation, the time together – was all that mattered, IS all that matters.

What do you think? What did you notice today?