I ate an apple today. At least I think I did.

I had to walk cross-campus for a late afternoon meeting. I remember biting into the apple just as I was passing the walkway that leads up to the library. It was a Pink Lady–tart and sweet and with a lot of crunch. I remember how good that first bite tasted.

And the next thing I knew: I was standing in front of the administrative building with an apple core in my hand.

Sometimes I think my missteps are more valuable to me than my little victories. I can think of a number of instances over the past 11 months in which I would catch myself doing the exact opposite of what I would consider deliberate living, and then try to correct my actions.

Today was one such instance.

I’ve always maintained that it would be an unrealistic goal to expect that somehow I would manage to spend every moment of every day in mindful observance. That said, I would like to think that with practice, I could slowly become just a little more aware of my daily life, as I’m living it.

Like eating an apple, for example.

And of course, at any moment I can practice that awareness.

Like right now.

I’ve poured myself a cup of tea. And apparently, I’ve already drank down half of that cup. So I stop, take a moment, and take a sip. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

In many ways, this whole year has been that sort of progress. I practice. I fall out of practice. I catch myself, and then I bring myself back into practice.

I guess what I’m really doing is practicing practice!