Recently, a friend unintentionally reminded me to take a break. She was reminiscing about moments of complete peace. After taking her kids to school, she would pick up a snack on her way home, make a cappuccino, and sit in complete silence while the sun shone through her window.

These moments are so powerful. The peace, the quiet, the warmth of the sun. I miss doing this.

These days, I wake early and immediately follow some morning routine. And whatever form that routine takes, from it, I just keep going. I move to the office and start working and the day progresses as it does.

The problem is that I forget to pause. I tell myself that meditation counts, yet meditation itself is a practice, it’s an action — It’s not nothing. I drink my coffee while I write code. I check emails while having lunch.

Maybe it’s been the dreariness of winter or some sense of urgency towards goals that I’ve used to justify my lack of pausing. But I miss my own quiet moments sipping coffee in the morning sun. I yearn for that peaceful bliss while the rest of the world is on pause.

Thankfully, the sun continues to rise.