Wake up

Have you ever arrived at work and can’t remember the drive?
Or, just realized that you ate a whole bag of chips while you watched The Walking Dead?
 
That, my friends, is called automaticity. It is the ability to do things without occupying the mind and it is the enemy of mindfulness.
 
This weekend, I was going into a store and was approached by a man who was asked if I had
any spare change. I automatically said, “No”.
I had some spare change in my pocket, but I was focused on the list of errands that I had
to do that day. I was not being mindful in that interaction.
 
As I walked through the store I began to think about that man. What his life must be like;
where did he sleep? When did he eat last?
 
I felt myself reconnect with compassion and on the way out of the store, we had a conversation
and I gave him some money. His name is Earl.
We agreed to meet again next Saturday.
 
I invite you to examine your responses. Did you actively choose that response, or were you on
auto-pilot?

Peace.

"It's only when we wake that we realize we were sleeping."

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