Living in Mindfulness
Kimmie Rose Zapf
Have you ever driven from one location to the next and not remember anything about the trip?
Where were you? You know physically you were in the vehicle going through the proper motions to
safely take you to your destination, but where were you mentally? When you were driving from one
place to another, were you thinking about something that happened earlier in the day or maybe
something you need to do later that night? By not living in the present moment, what have you
missed?
Did you notice today was a beautiful day? Did you notice the leaves on the trees have turned into a
beautiful display of yellows, reds and oranges? Were you mindful of the warmth of the sun or the
coolness in the air as the daylight hours get shorter and shorter? When driving home from work,
did you hear the words to the song on the radio or was the music just background noise as you
pondered the events of your day? Or when you stopped at the grocery store to pick-up that one
needed item before heading home for the night, did you notice the person ahead of you seemed
quiet or withdrawn? Would a smile or a kind word make a difference in this person's life?
So many of us spend our lives rushing to the next moment or rehashing what we could have done
different yesterday that we find ourselves in a state of mind that doesn't allow us to experience
what is happening in the present. Let me ask you this question. If wanted to experience peace how
would you do it? Would it be better experienced in the past, present or future?
I spent many years of my life searching for this answer. I thought if I could find a way to change
what I did in the past or be better prepared for what was going to happen tomorrow I could find
peace. I spent so much time looking for ways to find it and began to find that I had less time to
experience it. It took meeting an extraordinary man to allow me to better understand that peace
wasn't something that I had to keep looking and that it was something that was already within me.
I had an opportunity to meet Dr. Patch Adams on a trip to his home in Virginia while filming a
segment for a talk show. When I met him I can remember him looking at me. I felt like he was
looking so deep into me that I began to wonder if there was something wrong with me, was I
wearing the wrong outfit or did I say something wrong with the initial greeting. Thoughts began to
run through my head of how I could have done things differently. Then, he said to me, "Tell me
about yourself" and he smiled. It was at that moment that my thoughts stopped racing and I looked
into his eyes and suddenly felt all the anxiety leave me. I felt comfortable with myself and could feel
that he didn't care what I was wearing, what happened before I got there or what was going to
happen next. He was simply allowing me to be myself and experience the present moment by
connecting with me. That day I realized that true peace comes from every experience we encounter
in each moment in that moment. Patch allowed me to see myself through his eyes by simply
"being." I was grateful for the experience that was given to me.
The Dali Lama and other great teachers have taught that if one wants to experience peace they
must then become mindful of their thoughts and actions in the present moment. By bringing this
type of awareness into a person's life, peace can be achieved. As this mindfulness becomes part of
our daily life, it's easier to be grateful for every experience we have, and we become aware that
each person that we meet is a blessing. Everything and everyone in life plays a part in teaching us
something about why we are here.
It was through this connection with Patch and a recent near death experience that I was given the
message to start a project that would share what I had learned. This is what The Bless You Project
is all about. It's about expressing love and compassion in every moment of your life and knowing
that you can make a difference through this expression. It is about embracing each experience in
the moment by showing gratitude and knowing that exactly what you draw into to your in life has
purpose. I invite you to stay mindful and reach out to people around you and share with them the
same peace that is within you. Remember, it only takes a moment to realize that everything we
need is within us. By being present wherever we go, we open a doorway to our true nature. It is
that true nature that brings us peace.
BIO: Kimmie Rose Zapf, a multi-dimensional talent, entertains and teaches her audience by way of
radio, television, conferences, seminars, lectures, and private consulting. She is the founder of The
Bless You Project, a non-profit organization, created to bring attention to the importance of the
human connection. The project is designed to help individuals reach out to one another with
kindness and love so we can eliminate fear and hopelessness, which are sources for so much
human suffering. To find out more about The Bless You Project and Kimmie Rose Zapf, visit her
websites, www.theblessyouproject.com and www.kimmierose.com.
INNERCHANGE/ HealthyLivingPages.com
DECEMBER 2007/ JANUARY 2008