Start by looking at what you are planning to eat. What do you notice visually?

Now, smell the food carefully. What do you notice?

If applicable, do you notice any sounds? If you’re eating something like a raisin, try holding it close to your ear as you squeeze it gently. Or if you’re unwrapping a chocolate, listen to the crinkles of the wrapper as you unfold it …

For the last three years, I’ve been preparing for a paper for an international conference involving my 5th grade students, a program called Anatomy Academy, and all of it during a time when we were all being taught over a platform called ZOOM during a worldwide pandemic.

Anatomy Academy is an outreach and research program to combat childhood obesity through education.

“The world lost a bight light, a beacon of love, with a heart that held so much love and compassion” writes Jean. “Brian loved BIG, laughed long, and knew how to make others feel heard and seen.”

We arrive at the bottom of the canyon in time for a Ranger talk. I am reminded of these talks as a child visiting various National Parks. I loved these stories and remember attending these intimate amphitheater events with my dad and siblings. (I feel fortunate to have visited so many in my childhood.)

And I think it’s just as if not more important to remember that despite preparations for an unknown future, we must all practice being in and practice finding joy in the present moment. It’s easy to forget that the path of life isn’t over the next horizon but the ground that my feet are stepping on at this exact moment.

Teachers love to plan! Perhaps, it’s a necessity, I mean, it makes the week go by so much easier when you know what you’re doing. But the truth is, I think teachers like to know what the future can bring.

At the end of the day, there is no more powerful word than LOVE. LOVE is Presence. What do you LOVE?

When I visit my mom in her central coast town and attend those senior gentle yoga or body pump exercise classes, the average age of the participants and instructors are 55+ years of age! They’re rockin’ it! They’re holding strong and sweating hard. They support and encourage one another. It’s a wonderful community to be a part of.

When I grow up, I want to be a participant and instructor for senior exercise and yoga classes. When I grow up, I want to act like Rita Moreno - dancing and talking about my sex life. (Mom, if you’re reading this, sorry if I embarrassed you … )