Moments of Being

It can happen in unexpected places and at unexpected times. I may be walking to class, looking at the sky and the trees and taking deep breaths of fresh early winter air. I may be at home, doing a yoga routine while I listen to some new music, feeling my hands, feet, body against the rough fabric of the rug, the cold floor.

I call it a moment of being, when I feel aware of myself, body and mind, here in this place, at this time. I feel wholly in the moment. If earlier I had been feeling stressed, worried, or detached from reality, that all goes away, if only for a time. My senses seem heightened: I am aware of colours, sounds, textures, scents, flavours, and myself, at the centre.

And I think to myself, "Why, I am happy." Or maybe it's something more like joy, a momentary feeling of joy for no apparent reason. These moments of being never last long, and I never try to make them last longer than they should. And after the moment passes I will go back to my everyday life, but I still carry the memory of the moment with me. Too often I find myself getting caught up with homework, exams, studying, due dates, and staring at the computer screen for far too long, but these moments of being remind me to take the time to be aware, and rediscover the wonder that is in the world.