In general, I spend most of my time trying to predict my future or ruminating about the past. When an adverse situation occurs, invariably, I replay it in my mind on loop, or I try to work out what will happen next and how I’m going to respond. It has been this way for as long as I can remember.

This is what goes on continuously in my head “at rest:” on autopilot, when I’m not thinking about what I’m thinking about. So, as you can see, my head is never really at rest, at all. Rather, it is plagued by the dilemma of the day, everyday.

Meditation is helping me to recognize the extent of the problem. Meditation is about mindfulness, being present. Taking stock of what surrounds you in the moment.

It is not about pushing away troubling thoughts (or any thoughts), but simply observing and recognizing them—without judgment—as they travel in and out of your mind.

At least, that is what the introduction to meditation has been.

It is not new to me; I have participated in guided meditation many times throughout my life. But not with any regularity.

I am finding that it is easier for me, now, than when I was younger, to become aware of my thoughts, let them pass gently in and out of my consciousness, and still be able to interpret my immediate surroundings, and how I’m feeling then and there.

I appreciate the comfort of my overstuffed couch, my kids’ art on the walls, and the light from my green dragonfly Tiffany lamp. I note the sound and sensations of my cat’s purring, and the softness of his coat. The familiar and therapeutic weight of his 13 little pounds on my lap.

And, finally, I am finding myself more relaxed, more peaceful, able to manage my anxiety and stressful thoughts without trying to actively control them. Because, let’s be honest: am I controlling them, or are they controlling me?

Conflicts come and go, no matter what we do. It’s how we respond to conflict that matters.

As the old adage goes, “This, too, shall pass.”

Meditation is teaching me to let go of the past and future, if temporarily, and embrace the moment. The present has value, if you can learn how to access it.