The thing about mindfulness practice is the benefits. I mean, that’s not the only thing - it’s not a benefit-driven endeavor. Hopefully there’s a little altruism mixed in.

But the benefits are big. First, there’s the calm that arises when the body is still and the mind is quiet. That’s worth all the effort in the world, and it’s portable, too: I notice I can take it with me into my day, which is good for me, and good for everyone else, too.

The other benefit is the insight. Insight into the way it’s not easy, this being human. Insight into how to hold things lightly, since everything is coming and going anyway, slipping through our fingers, and we’re all just here for a moment. And insight into how connected we are, even if we forget - how we breathe from the same air, drink from the same rainfall, live and love dependent, and depending, on one another. 

All of which begs the same question as always: how to love one another just a little bit better, each day.