I have my very own mindfulness guru. In the chaos that is big family life he is essential. I wouldn’t have time for the books or the courses, of course. But an in house mentor is hard to ignore. He whips me out of fretting about the future and regretting the past. He tells me to stop, look and listen. He says let’s just sit here and have a little relax. He is four years old.

Yesterday we were cutting through the school yard on our way to pick up the brothers. Thoughts of impending homework and dinner clogged my mind. Not to mention the to do list to do with the subsidence issue in the sitting room. Insurance, builders and the like. He said stop, listen. There amongst the bare branches of a January tree perched a robin red breast chirping and tweeting away. We hunkered down to listen. He seemed to notice us. The chirps and tweets got faster. He seemed excited to see us. After a couple of minutes of attentive robin listening we stood up. I was decidedly lighter and chirpier myself. Look he said, pointing up at the sky. Purple clouds dabbled across a pale blue canvas. Like a child’s painting with free reign on the colours. I might’ve missed these present moment beauties without my guru. He, like other small children, is fully aware in the present, undistracted, revelling in all of his senses. Long may it continue.

Ellen Kelly