Wisdom

So much of life is reaction to action. Mindful living often entails declining to react to actions taken by others in your direction when those actions are perceived as distracting you from your purpose, or practice, or center, in the sense of remaining balanced as you make your way along your path of life. Simple eye contact can be such an action. How you react to eye contact can really make a big difference in your life or no difference at all. The action of reaction, however, holds all possibilities. So, if you are mindful (aware and centered in purpose), you realize this in the moment. Now, only the enlightened can be mindful in absolutely every moment, but it is a worthwhile goal. The wisdom to decline, to simply not react to, invitations offered by the actions of others is new to me. I have often admired it in others, but I have just recently recognized this wisdom in myself. I hope to foster it as part of my daily practice.