Mindfulness starts with something as simple as focusing on our breathing. By focusing on our breath, we become fully present, allowing us to appreciate life’s little moments. It’s like stopping to smell the roses, quite literally!
Picture yourself sipping a cup of tea. With mindfulness, you acknowledge the tea, making both you and the tea truly “real” in that moment. It’s like pressing the pause button on life, just long enough to truly experience what’s happening.
Or getting a new pet. At first, they’re a cute, furry mystery. But as you spend more time together, you learn their quirks, their likes and dislikes, and even their favourite napping spots. You name them. Your world expands.
I was once gifted a 10-month-old Dalmatian. As an all-female household, I questioned the logic of keeping such a powerful energetic animal in our home. Suddenly we were accosted by a half-crazed, barking, banana-killing, microwave handle chewing, counter and table trapeze walking bundle of raw energy tearing up and down our staircases, and creating havoc with everything from our underwear to pillows and bedding. Determined to give Josh a fair trial, we borrowed every book on Dogs, Training and Dalmatians from the neighbourhood library. (pre-internet days) 
Hours later, as we sat on the floor, surrounded by books, and discussing relinquishing the dog, Josh entered the room, and gently put his head on my 7 year olds lap. We all sat in silence. Josh wanted to stay. We learnt Dalmations are a unique breed, and the more we learnt, the more present we were with our new pet, and the more we were able to see all that he was bringing to our home. Josh was exactly what we needed to stay connected.
What may seem like garbage or not useful can be transformed if we take the time to realize the beauty in it. Imagine the transformation of kitchen scraps into compost. It may seem like waste at first, but soon enough, it nourishes flowers and vegetables. This cycle again shows the interconnectedness, of garbage into food or flowers. The flower and the compost don’t see each other as enemies; instead, they’re essential parts of a bigger picture.
Inspired by the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Master, we can learn to appreciate the interconnectedness of our world, one mindful moment at a time, deepening our appreciation and gratitude for even the smallest grounds in a compost container.
