I’m thoroughly enjoying fall and it’s just begun…hooray! Many cool weather days, cozy nights, and seasonal ventures to look forward to! Not to mention, holidays galore! When did national days honoring just about everything under the sun begin? If you are foodie among the nationally recognized days in October are Seafood Bisque Day, Pasta Day, and Chicken and Waffles Day. If you have a sweet tooth, you can indulge in Homemade Cookie Day, Cinnamon Bun Day, and Angel food Cake Day. Perhaps you enjoy sports. If so, you can have fun on National Sports Day, as well as Coaches Day, and Golf Lover’s Day. Science-minded? October has Exascale Day, Fossil Day, and Back to the Future Day. And the holidays that made me chuckle most are the ones leading up to Halloween. National Chucky, the Notorious Killer Doll Day, Wicked Day, and Candy Corn Day are just a few that will set the scene for Trick or Treating or hosting an All-Saints party. Truly something for everyone! I may partake in a few of these, but one thing is for certain, I will be engaging in a new mindfulness activity. One that will lend itself well to a trip abroad we have planned in a couple weeks. But first things first. I’d like to share last month’s experience.
In September, I had to take a step back and put the horse before the cart, so to speak. My aim was to practice mindful thinking. That is thinking before speaking. Instead of operating on autopilot, I focused on taking a beat, a breath, and a pause to consider what I wanted to say. This kept me in the moment and definitely helped me to discern what I truly believed. Admittedly there were a few times when I blurted out a comment, and said something out of habit, but more times than not, I stopped and thought about what I was about to verbalize. This is important because oftentimes my thoughts dictate my actions and I want those to be aligned. By continuing to practice mindful thinking, my hope is it will become a habit. A habit in which I am putting my true thoughts and chosen words out into the world.
From my journal: September 17, 2026, Newbury Park, California
“…Robert sent me a pic of the cactus with the pretty pink blooms…gorgeous. Makes me smile every single time we walk by and it’s open in its full glory!”
Seeing this recent photo gave me an idea for this month’s mindfulness activity. Photography. This surprised me because when I think of being in the present moment, taking out my phone and snapping pics is not what comes to mind. Whenever we are attending any gathering, public or private, people are taking photos. Of themselves, others, and the live event. While I do snap pics here and there, I try to refrain from doing so while an event is actually happening. It could be a concert, a party, or even a hike. Sometimes when I see a person in constant click motion, I wonder, are they fully present? What are they trying to capture? Will they be able to recall the occasion through their experience or photos only?
Like I wrote in my recent Treasures post, I greatly appreciate photos as they add visuals to my journals that document my life story. But how can one stay present while capturing fleeting moments? How can one focus on what they are seeing instead of trying to get the perfect image? Or how can one avoid spending more time snapping photos versus experiencing the scene all around them? I’ve been thinking about these things as our trip nears.
But first and foremost, I have to consider, “Why take photos at all?” Good question. We’ll be biking through the Algarve area of Portugal, then later on touring our old stomping grounds in London, so my intention is to snap a few lasting records, reminders of being there at that time. Approaching picture taking with a sense of wonder and curiosity, I won’t worry about the photos being staged or composed, or the result. That means I’ll have to let go of expectations and judgments, and welcome what appears. Knowing myself, this may be a little hard! I’d also like to wait until we return home before exploring my photos, so I can enjoy the rest of our adventures in the present moment. Reflecting on the photos later, I hope they offer relived moments, but perhaps insights will arise that will deepen my experience of being in those places, at those times, and with the people there. We shall soon see!
