During my walk this morning I was continuously amazed at the beauty around me. But curiously I didn’t notice it during my entire walk. Sometimes I’d be thinking about my conversation with my wife. And at points I was lost in thought about work or what I had going on later in the day.

Or, looking at the sight in the picture above, my thoughts drifted back to the several Peaks to Portland swims I’ve done in the past. You can see Fort Gorges in the distance, which is located on a small island that I’ve swum past in that race. As I gazed upon this beautiful morning sight, the memories of many of those past swims started to flood my thinking. So really, I was living in the past at that moment and not really seeing the amazing beauty that was in front of me right now.

Interestingly, once I started noticing my thoughts drifting I came back to the present again. Which was great because it was such a beautiful walk and I wanted to enjoy the moment.

What’s interesting to me is that I’ve discovered that I can only live in the reality of my thinking. Whatever that is. If I’m thinking about my work, that’s my experience in the moment. It’s not good or bad, it’s just the way it works.

And what a gift it is to know this.