Wow. wow. wow. It reminds me of a Buddha story my grandpa told me.

Buddha was sitting with his disciples. They often gathered like this to share wisdom and learn from each other.

One young disciple, Ananda, asked, "Master, how does one begin the journey to awakening?"

Buddha, always calm and gentle, picked up a fallen leaf from the ground. "Tell me, Ananda, were you aware of this leaf before I picked it up?"

Ananda thought for a moment and replied, "No, Master. I wasn’t."

Buddha smiled, "Just as you became aware of this leaf only when I showed it, awakening begins with becoming aware of things around us and within us."

He continued, "Most of the time, we're like people who walk with their eyes closed. We bump into things, get hurt, and don’t understand why. But when we open our eyes, when we become aware, we see the path clearly. That’s the first step to awakening."

Ananda’s eyes lit up with understanding. He realized that the more grounded you're in the present moment, you become aware of the things you haven't paid attention to. And this awareness led to being more focused on the present.

Don't how true this story is, but as a kid it intrigued and excited me. Thought it related to the topic.