Thinking is the same as eating.  I have a thought, and before that thought is over I begin thinking about something tangentially related, and then something else, and on it goes into infinity.  Today I was in the shower, trying to focus exclusively on using soap, when suddenly, forcing it’s way into my brain, came the memory of the store keeper who sold it to me in Israel, taking out his calculator and showing me the price in US dollars.  And then, before this thought was extinguished I began mentally recording the experience for use in a blog post about overthinking.  This post.

Finally I was able to get myself refocused on reality, but it wasn’t long before I was spiraling back out into space.  It’s the same sensation as being stuck in the undertow at the beach, forever pummeled by waves.  And just as you’re getting your footing, CRASH, you’ve lost all balance and are pulled back under.

This constant consumption of thoughts results in confusion.  Moments which should be simple and clear become complex and obfuscated.  Presence of mind is replaced by a kind of abstract hovering between past and future events.  Between two worlds of fantasy, conjuring up a synthetic experience to replace what’s actually there.  Forever bringing up the past, projecting the future, turning the real world into an expository article on existence, rather than being here and seeing the world for what it is.

Right now I am perched in a smooth wooden chair, inhaling air rushed towards me by a quivering ceiling fan, listening to poppy tunes and an air conditioner humming steadily.  Sitting, breathing, listening, typing; the taste of cafe coffee lingering on my taste buds.  This is the moment.  Simple.  Singular.  Significant.
Taken one bite at a time.