No, it didn't happen on the meditation cushion. A dove did not descend from the clouds. I did not have a miraculous vision of truth (or, at least, I didn't recognize it at the time).
Flashing lights in the rear-view mirror. A quick glance at the dashboard. A sinking sensation in my stomach. Prickly sweat on my brow. Busted.
Mindfulness is "in." We read and hear about it everywhere. In many cases, the context is spiritual, even mystical. In real life, the absence of mindful awareness can mean a costly citation. It can even have life-and-death consequences.
I was not speeding on purpose. I was thinking about the errands I wanted to run before arriving on time for a dental appointment. I was doing mental math while my subconscious, feeling we were late, pressed the accelerator.
That very same evening I watched a Montana PBS special about distracted driving. We all know that distracted drivers talk or text behind the wheel, fiddle with music, and separate fighting kids in the back seat. Some even apply makeup, shave, or read the paper. But are we also aware of the #1 distraction? None of the above. It's in our own heads: driving while thinking (about something else).
Driving was, even before that recent encounter with justice, a primary focus of my mindfulness practice. Close calls over the years have shown me the risks of distracted thinking. I confine music listening to low-traffic, benign-weather conditions. I put the cell phone in my purse in the back seat. I pull over to ask the Maps app for guidance.
Still, despite regular effort, I too get lost in thought. I miss the cue that the car is speeding up. I don't see the guy on the motorcycle with a radar gun. I could just as easily have missed seeing a child on a bike or a car stopping suddenly up ahead.
I am grateful for my close encounter with the law. It was a brief but high-impact lesson in present-moment awareness. I hope the lesson lasts a long time.
Where in your life would mindfulness make a difference? Are you also tempted by distracted driving? Or distracted listening to loved ones? Or distracted attention to important details at home or at work? Would you like to do something about it?
