Day Twenty-three

The focus on this day was all about awareness.

My first reaction when I read the task description was "Hmmm, that all sounds a bit Buddhist" but I don't think it's about serious meditation. It's more about taking the time to notice things. I had to take 2 situations and really focus on them, to notice things I hadn't done before. Before doing this I thought I was quite an observant person, but actually focussing on seeing new things on my journey to work, which I normally find incredibly boring and like to get over and done with as quickly as possible (although a lot less so since starting the NDD) was a lot of fun and made me enjoy it quite a lot. I made a little list of 10 of the things I noticed:

1. A sign on the main road saying "marathon route 18";
2. One grassy verge packed full of dandelions in full bloom, the next verge completely sans dandelions;
3. That North Harrow station has skylights;
4. One pigeon sitting on another pigeon's head (!);
5. Bright pinkish red spiky tulips in a neighbour's garden;
6. Identical rows of chimneys down the line from North Harrow tube;
7. A little boy running along, wearning a parka, like they used to at school when I was 5;
8. 4 bikes chained to the railings at the station, one with a basket at the front;
9. That the corner of a neighbour's garage door panel turns outwards;
10. A satellite dish with a company name on it : "Medion" - that I'd never heard of.
    

I was quite pleased with that little list. Good creative writing fodder, some of it. Probably quite boring to you, dear reader, though.

I also had to focus on seeing new things in somebody I talked to, and it was interesting how I really did notice a lot of extra stuff that I hadn't seen before, which amazed me.

I think I might have to do this a lot more. It makes you appreciate the richness of life.