Until a few years ago, I knew little about the practice of mindfulness, the conscious effort to live in the present moment. As I began to study and practice it, I began to recognize many benefits it offers. I sensed a stronger layer of contentment developing within myself.

BY NANCY KIDD

I now realize I have wasted a great deal of energy worrying about the future and replaying past events unceasingly. Because of this, I am quite certain I have missed out on the depth of countless memorable experiences throughout my life. I may have been physically present and somewhat aware of my surroundings. But, I believe my “monkey” mind robbed me of the richness by constantly trying to distract.

Although I started practicing mindfulness several years ago, I am still a fledgling practitioner. After all, it’s not easy to change a lifetime habit of living with out-of-control runaway roller coaster thoughts. But once in a while something happens, and I am able to take it all in.

And when it does, I am over-the-top ecstatic because I understand I have experienced it on a higher plane, thanks to a little mindfulness!

Throughout the years of my teaching at the detention center, I saw a variety of programs brought in to present to the students. People from the nearby Humane Society sometimes brought in dogs. We also enjoyed programs on gardening, yoga, and cooking.

One of my personal favorites, however, was a music program implemented by a student from the University of Illinois.

Adam’s entrance

The first time I met Adam, I had serious doubts about his ability to relate to the kids. His physical appearance was about 180 degrees opposite that of the kids in detention. He had a fresh haircut and perfectly straight pearly white teeth. Wearing a crisp, white dress shirt and tie, he appeared better suited for an MBA interview than a gig in detention. I appreciated his enthusiasm to launch a new interactive music program with our students and his desire to make a difference. Even so, I felt pretty confident he wouldn’t last long.

I was, as it turned out, totally wrong about Adam.

After the first time I met him, he came again soon to meet the kids and to make his pitch for the program. He carefully explained what he hoped to do, and then he sat with them, offering his full attention to their responses. The students became quite excited as they discussed the their favorite songs and musical artists.

Musical bounty

When the program actually began, other university music students showed up with Adam. They walked in, laden with guitars, drums, and other musical instruments. Adam found songs the kids liked that were still appropriate by detention standards. In other words, they were free of profanity and references to gangs, sex, and violence. He and the other university students split the kids into groups to teach them each how to play one part of a song on their particular instrument. Later, near the end of each session, all the parts came together to sing and play the song of the day.

They had formed their very own giant band!

The JDC students loved the music activities, and each week they eagerly awaited Adam’s visits.

Although I enjoyed the flurry of activity in the classroom, I seldom paid close attention. Instead, I often chose to use that after-school time to tend to my own work. I wrote reports, prepared lesson plans, checked emails, and graded papers.

Close watch

One day, however, I was actually following the activities more closely.

The room was filled with the university volunteers and detention students all learning John Lennon’s “Imagine.” When they finally regrouped to perform the song as a whole, I stopped to take in the scene. There was Adam seated on the piano bench with a young boy right next to him, both playing the keyboard and crooning the lyrics to “Imagine.” When they reached the part of the song where the melody rises and the notes are almost too high for the average person’s vocal range — “You-ou-ou … you may say, I’m a dreamer” — at that exact moment they both raised their shoulders and almost lifted their bodies off the bench.

Trying to hit those high notes, they rolled their eyes along with the lyrics.

And, they did it in a sequence of precisely synchronized mannerisms. So perfectly choreographed, it seemed like something they would have had to rehearse.

What a moment

A small audible laugh escaped me just as I turned and met the eyes and the knowing smile of another volunteer. In that instant, I knew without a doubt that both she and I had witnessed some sort of miracle. The beauty of what we’d just observed was this extraordinary Ebony-and-Ivory moment. It was two people from two totally different worlds coming together to share a connection through music.

The scene was over within a matter of seconds and seemed to have gone unnoticed by the majority of those in the room. A short time later, once again alone in the classroom, I was struck by the full impact of that poignant moment. We had been given, I believe, a glimpse of what is most pleasing to God. It was the breathtaking magnificence created by someone’s tender, loving efforts of unity.

Amazing what can happen when we just show up and allow ourselves to be immersed in a moment!