The more attentive I am, especially to this mind running amuck, the more stable I feel. If I’m off on my latest adventure, surfing for that pair of shoes I just have to have or baking those cookies I just have to eat, there’s so much tug and pull. If I can catch those impulses before they take over, I still might buy the shoes. But at least I don’t feel so consumed. 

The mindfulness metaphor is that of a mountain. The invitation is to stop chasing our tails – the gentlest possible way of naming what we’re seeing on the world stage – and instead, sit still, in silence, like a mountain.

When I remember to do that for even a few minutes, I feel the difference. The agitation settles. I feel grounded. There’s a measure of peace. 

Even though peace might feel like a rare commodity these days, it’s actually right here, under our noses, if only we can remember.