“Now is the time for walking…” I had just reached the turnstile on my way to catch the subway when that thought came to mind. The thought came to me in a flash, as if someone had just turned on a bright light, or a single tone had sounded from a bell. In comparison to the millions of trivial and random thoughts that float through an active mind like mine on a daily basis, this particular thought was unique in a way that I couldn’t really define. It was like a slight nudge, a gentle prodding. “Now is the time for walking…” As I slowly became aware of the thought, I had another realization. Just moments before, I had left work and walked the five city blocks to where I catch the subway everyday. As I placed my subway pass into the reader on the turnstile, it occurred to me that I could not remember walking to the station. Had I turned out the lights and locked my office door? Was it raining outside? Was the street vendor selling her wares outside the station? I could not recollect a single detail of my short journey.

“Now is the time for walking…” The rest of the way home, I pondered the meaning of this strange thought, which continued to echo in mind. This thought seemed to have a life of its own, and I could not simply discount it as one of the many incidental ideas that enter my mind, literally by the second. “What shall I have for lunch? Damn, I have a hole in my sock… right by the big toe. I don’t think I’ll go to the gym tonight…” Somehow, I recognized, these words had purpose. Recently, I have become interested in Zen Buddhism, and while my understanding of its precepts and practices is elementary at best, I have come to truly appreciate one of the basic foundations of Zen—AWARENESS. As my life becomes crazier and crazier, something inside of me cries out for simplicity. As more and more of my day becomes consumed with obligation and duty, I find myself longing for a moment or two to myself. As that space within myself becomes more and more cluttered with stress and anxiety and the busyness of life, I find myself in need of silence and calm.

The word Buddha means “Awake.” Zen practice is focused on awareness, being in the moment. “Now is the time for walking…” This simple thought opened the door to profound wisdom and led me to a pointed question: How much of my life passes by without my awareness? It is so easy to go through life on autopilot. Multi-tasking has become a way of life. We talk on our cell phones while we drive in our cars. We thumb through a magazine or watch television while we are eating dinner. We have become so accustomed to excessive stimulation that we are unable to quiet our minds enough to become fully aware and present. “Now is the time for walking…” The more I considered this simple idea, the more its message became crystal clear.

That day, like many others, I had allowed my mind to become carried away by thoughts and worries. As I walked to the station, my mind had continued to make To-Do lists and plans for the next day’s staff meeting. Physically I was walking down the street, but mentally I was seated at my desk…working. “Now is the time…” It was an invitation to wake up. Making my way home, I made a concerted effort to be more mindful. Everything became new. I ate dinner and slowed down enough to truly taste the food. I washed the dishes carefully, allowing my hands to feel the water. I listened to one of my favorite CD’s with my eyes closed so I could really focus on the sound of the music. And, as I crawled into bed that night, I found that my mind and spirit were quiet. I’d like to say that I live my life with such mindfulness everyday. Sadly, that is not the case. Like my propensity to procrastinate, craziness and busyness continue to make their way into my life. But, when I find myself becoming overwhelmed by all of the things that require my attention, I simply remind myself to slow down and to do one thing at a time. I remind myself to truly notice all of the things that are around me. I remind myself to “Be here now.” Now is the time for walking!