It's Just Another Mindful Monday! ...And a Beautiful Day for a Staycation...

When you're out and about, is your head tucked in your feathers?

It is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and though most schools, public services and federal businesses are closed, I had still planned to go to work this morning. I surprisingly ended up with the day off and decided to take advantage of the unseasonably mild weather and go for a walk downtown with a friend--somewhat of a Staycation, if you will.

I've lived in or near Spokane, Washington since September of 2008. For the 5 years prior to that, I lived in Couer d'Alene, Idaho, just outside the state border. Today as I was walking with my friend through Riverfront Park, I remarked that after all this time, I still felt like a tourist in my own hometown. It occurred to me that much of my time when I am out on the town is spent focused on accomplishing some task. I am running errands, getting to an appointment or meeting, getting home. Even if I am walking for leisure, I have failed to notice so many of the beautiful aspects of downtown Spokane. I can only imagine that I am missing a lot of my surrounding environment wherever I go!

My realization on this Mindful Monday is that I am so lost in thoughts of who-knows-what while I am walking around town, that often I end up lost in my own neighborhood!

Monday Meditation

As I walk down the sidewalks of my home town, I allow myself to adopt the mindset of a visitor. I notice the simple and the ornate details that have become familiar as though I am seeing them for the very first time. As I bring the background into the foreground, I embrace my childlike sense of curiosity and wonder. I quack with the ducks, jump over puddles, and tightrope walk along garden walls. I do not need to travel far to feel as though I am on a vacation--I need only to walk with open eyes and an open mind through my very own neighborhood.

.