It was raining and I was by myself in the common room having coffee, I stood by the window and kept looking outside at the very empty roads, one lone man rushing down the street with his hood covered head, very few cars going by, looked so misty and grey. The calmness that comes with cold damp days is so mysterious. I was loving the darkness and dampness outside.

I remembered my window from when I was studying in med school. Patna, a small town of India, used to have greenery and no high rise buildings in those days and I could see miles and miles of the area and identify some far away buildings. Trees and birds could be admired from my study table. The ambitions, enthusiam of a young student, brave and courageous head and heart were at my hands reach, the world was mine, unstoppable and uncaring, living my dreams through those windows everyday.

Today with the warmth of the coffee I suddenly remembered my old window and the site from those gone by years. My heart tumbled, a big gulp of memories with the drink and life simply stopped for a few seconds. There was a split second between being sad with my long lost memories or being happy in todays situation.

I stopped myself and absolutely reminded myself of being in the present and enjoying what is here and now. Thats what is mindfulness I would say. With a smile on my face my thoughts went through all those houses, flats, windows and balconies that I have spent standing and looking across with tea and coffee mugs. There is nothing that is my own. There is nothing that is permanent. Truth is the present moment and thats all that we have – love it, live it and be happy.