The Zen of Heels

Twice this week I stepped into cracks in the road on the way to the subway. Heels ruined. Morning spoilt. Pumps wrecked (well, sort of).

Every morning I would march towards the station, lost in my head. My mind chattering with conversations I had yesterday or last night or years ago or what I want to say and do today. The chatter disconnects me to the street, the people even the music blasting from my ear buds. So when I stepped into the crack again yesterday and ruin the skinny heel of my favourite black pumps, I became fully aware of how "not present" I was.

Being present and cultivating a deeper level of awareness is something I started when I got pregnant in 2010. And everyday I made effort in minuscule ways to increase presence in my life. A little sticker on my space bar reminds me to be conscious about my breath. Every morning I bring awareness to my whole body lying in bed for a couple of mins (and often failing because I would fall back asleep).

As I marched my way to the station this morning in my new red stilettos with the extra skinny heels, I remembered the crack in the pavement ahead. I looked at the road ahead and I slowed my steps. My attention returned to the here and now of my foot striking the ground. Attention wove its way up my foot to the rest of my body in motion. My mind cleared of chatter, I was able to see and feel instead the vibrancy of my little slice of Hong Kong gearing up for the day.

Click, click, click, all the way to my train. My heels were my Zen guru for the day.