Experience everything more than once.

I was once completely captivated by the romantic atmosphere of the film.When in RomeImagine being captivated by Central Park right in the middle of New York. Or in South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, there are famous, idyllic public spaces that aren't overly industrialized; perfect for dating and enjoying yourself like in the movies.
But right here in Saigon, where I live, public places seem to have become merely transit points; typically, people will choose cafes, restaurants, or movie theaters as their meeting places.

Human psychology has a tendency"take for granted"- I was neglecting the overly familiar things in my life. I suddenly realized I had lost connection with my own space and environment.

The Covid-19 pandemic restricted people from traveling as much, but it was also the time I chose to travel within my own community, for the first time in over 20 years. Discovering new things in familiar places, and understanding them from a different perspective.

I realized I had missed so much in familiar places while unconsciously yearning for the beauty of a foreign land. I was always present here, but my soul had always wandered elsewhere.

Just like ourselves, sometimes we need to rediscover and "relearn" ourselves, because there are things we think and do unconsciously. According to Professor Ellen Langer, a psychology professor at Harvard University, any experience has layers that can be explored. Repeat that experience, or experiences we consider normal, and we will discover interesting things.

Therefore, when rereading a book, we can discover new things, and the same applies to walking in familiar places. This is because it is a process of searching for new information.(in the human brain)- in any recurring experience. That is the essence of mindfulness.

This article was written before the social distancing measures were implemented. Sometimes, this is a time to learn how to be calmer and more composed.
We may not be able to go far, but we choose to go deep.
We may not be able to connect to the outside world, but we choose to connect internally.

Vo Khanh Duy