I taste the coffee, letting its flavors linger in my mouth longer than usual so I can devote my attention to the taste and the way it feels on my tongue. When I swallow, I contemplate the experience, trying to imagine explaining it to someone who has never done it before, trying to describe, in words, what the act of swallowing is like. As I take in a breath, all my attention is on that one breath; the universe outside that breath of mine does not exist. I open and close my eyes, immersing myself in that mechanical aspect of my eyes, giving no heed to what is in front of me when my eyes are open.
Just as I find myself at a loss for words to adequately explain the taste and feel of coffee and the experience of swallowing and breathing and opening and closing my eyes, I cannot explain the sense of exhilaration I feel simply focusing my attention on those mundane things.
I will devote some of my time in the days ahead to paying close attention to the little things that make up the seconds of a day. The big picture isn’t always clear without focusing on its parts.
