An Unbothered Mind

I’m sitting on a plane as I write this. There is a toddler a few seats down, not more than 3 years old. She’s standing on her seat, eating a bag of chips. Not a care in the world. Completely absorbed in the moment.

Why is this? Why is she able to do something adults struggle for years and years to do, and most never succeed at? Because her mind is not yet full. She hasn’t accumulated enough to weigh her down.

Being present is not a miraculous feat. The miracle is being anywhere other than here and now. And this miracle can be understood. This miracle can be unraveled.

A person leaves the moment because their mind is looking for something. Something that is missing here and now. The answer to a long standing question, the embrace of a long lost lover. Whatever it is, it must be found elsewhere. So the mind goes elsewhere.

It happens so habitually, so unconsciously that we don’t even realize it. It has become second nature.

So much of what we seek can be learned from watching children, watching animals, watching nature in all its purity. What is missing is just as instructive as what is there.

The capacity to be immersed in the moment can never be lost. It can be hidden, it can lie dormant for decades, but it cannot be lost. You can run from the moment for years, but it will always be there waiting. Your mind is the only thing keeping you from it.