HOW A COMMON PRANK REVEALED ONE OF LIFE’S BIGGEST LESSONS.

You Dropped Your Pocket

Did you look?

You’d be surprised by the number of people who proceed to look for the elusive missing pocket.

Even last night — during my routine two in the morning dump— I saw a video on YouTube where some guys drove around telling others that they “left their keys in the car door,” which is hilarious given the fact that the keys obviously need to be in the ignition — unless you own one of those futuristic “no key needed” vehicles.

I find it quite entertaining, especially as a kid, but now at an age where I find myself looking for deeper meaning in life, I started to question why. What causes others to temporarily forget that their keys are in the ignition or that pockets are impossible to drop?

The answer — and the solution — is mindfulness.

What would happen if you attempted to pull this stunt on, let’s say, an experienced monk? Maybe you’d get a laugh or a hollow glance, but one thing I’m sure of, is that there’s no way in hell they’d go looking for the non-existing dropped pocket.

Mindfulness (mindful awareness) is the act of staying present in the moment — living intentionally, minute by minute.

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn