Remaining Present

I was standing on the platform at the station waiting for the 15.17 to Glasgow yesterday. I arrived early, but not early enough to catch the earlier train. Reminding myself to be patient, I began pacing up and down the empty tracks.

I looked forward to the direction the train would take me:

I looked back at the direction it would come from:

I looked down at the tracks, at that spot in space where the doors would open and I would step forward:

And then it suddenly struck me – I wasn’t in the moment. I wasn’t paying attention to the present. My mind was traveling with the train I was waiting for, or the train I had missed. I was watching the moment pass me by…

And then I looked up:

The beauty of my surroundings overwhelmed me. The blue sky seemed bigger than it had when I first began to wait for the 15.17. The sun warmed my face as I lifted my gaze upwards and breathed in the cool spring air. My senses tingled. My mind cleared. My body relaxed.

I remained present.

When was the last time you reminded yourself to stay in the moment? What did you notice in that moment? What have you noticed since?