See as if for the first time

What would you rather experience—the freshness of this moment or re-runs of old memories and old thoughts playing in your head?

This week, practise spending some time looking at the world with fresh eyes. As Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh writes, in his meditation book for children:

“We all have the ability to look at things with fresh eyes and see them as if seeing them for the first time. If we have lost our freshness, all we have to do is practice breathing in and out to restore it.” (From A Handful of Quiet, Happiness in Four Pebbles.)

Try reminding yourself to really look at everyday things and scenes that you normally don’t even notice. You’ll be amazed at what you see!