I’ve noticed lately how distracted my mind is. It’s noisy and firing wildly like a ball of foil in a microwave. I have a hard time calming it enough for sleep.

It hasn’t been like this for a long time. Then it occurred to me that I hadn’t been meditating.

With more focus on better sleep this summer I had to sacrifice some time in the morning. This meant changing my morning routine a little, swapping things in and out on different days. I felt that physical exercise was more important than working on the mind, so meditation slowly slipped away.

As it turns out, this realization comes just as the weather is changing. My priorities shift this time of year and my schedule opens up as I enter a state of near-hibernation from the cold.

And while I have no shortage of activities to occupy my time, getting meditation back into the routine will be high on the list.