Most of the things we worry about never actually happen, but that doesn't stop us from worrying. For example, on the first day of school we might be a little nervous, wandering about what the other students might thing of us. By giving out thoughts a little more space we can stop the hamster from going around the wheel. By taking a couple of breathes we can put a little distance between us and our worries. As a teacher, this hamster has a lot of qualities, and we don't want to dismiss them. Mindfulness practice is about learning, the awareness of your thoughts, our thoughts, not black and white truths. The same is true for our emotions, whether it's fear, anger, impatience, or rage, when we register our emotions and recognize them for what they are we open up in new ways.
