Mindfulness is a word that we hear in passing. What does it mean? I’m afraid that I can’t explain it to you, as I am quite uncertain about it all myself. Were I, however, to attempt an account from my own experience, I might say the following about mindfulness — it is the means by which we come to recognize our situation in the world, even as it is the end which that recognition accomplishes. It is a manner of thinking, which is neither as reductive as our reason nor as resolute as our feeling, but, I think, that manner of thinking which comprehends them both.

It is deliberate thought. Or say, mindfulness is that state in which we try — though we have been told (and half-believed!) that so much is impossible — to observe how the color of our thinking colors our world. In exact proportion to our success in this observation, we account for ourselves. By seeking to account for ourselves, we become responsible. Mindfulness, therefore, is the natural enemy of all those states which duck responsibility — prejudice, solipsism and fear. And then, since any account of ourselves must be an account in relationship to others, mindfulness is also the natural ally of diversity, compassion and love. It is, if I had to account for it in a single word, perspective.

If mindfulness has this character (and here I ask you for the benefit), it fits precisely into the mission of the College: “Amherst College educates men and women of exceptional potential from all backgrounds so that they may seek, value, and advance knowledge, engage the world around them, and lead principled lives of consequence.”

Or do we imagine that we can seek, value and advance knowledge in the world before we have taken a moment to account for ourselves? To say — well yes, professor, I understand your point, and find it very interesting, and I in general approve of your scholarship, but what has this to do with me, or (for that matter) with you? A life of consequence is a life of relevance. Who is relevant who is not mindful? Who is mindful and fails to give his attention to his community? There is a great deal of chatter about community these days. I welcome it! It deserves our engagement, but engagement without mindfulness is not engagement — it is proximity, and no hunger was ever eased by the nearness of bread.

Would you be a leader? Be mindful. That man or woman who is mindful enough to head in the direction where all of us would directly go (if only we had seen!) becomes a leader, and is believed by her peers. Or do you believe those who say that a leader must be trained — must speak slowly and clearly, and smile and nod — enunciate, never hesitate, be positive, and always follow through, stand tall, and mitigate, and always, always have a back up plan or an alibi? Do not be fooled by the excrement. There are leaders other than our president, who we follow each day, in part because of their eminence, but mostly because of our indolence. Are we mindful that we are led? That often we would be led. Enough — let us have an end to this conciliation.

Whence your civility, madam, I know very well that I have forgotten my shirt. Do me the honor of disdain. Demand that I account for myself. Your shoes — I protest that they are not for this weather, and your temper is inappropriate for this temperature. Redress for the situation and avoid folly.

Terminate the charade — men and women follow one thing. It may go by many names and has been (and will be!) obscured by the entropy of our progress, but certain as the sunrise it will come, and naturally, as light. Courage — it is only light. Charisma is light. Judgment, light. It is thus I realize my kinship with the moth. In exact proportion to mindfulness, a person, like a torch, will burn with the heat and loveliness of her own account, and she must always be a leader who glows. And so — terras irradient.

You have now heard it said — attempt mindfulness. Take a moment from your next moment and sit still. When your mind wanders off to see about your next task, call it back. Do you have class in the next moment? It is better to arrive late than not to arrive at all. If your thinking wanders to the person besides you, become more interesting until your attention will rest in you. If you suspect that you are in love, and your mind flies to a hundred thousand consummations and a thousand devastations, endure the loss, regard your love and return to the situation.

The situation is thus — there will be a day next week, on Thursday the 23rd of April (if I have heard correctly) of mindfulness declared campus-wide. I have seen posters, and heard it talked of. I welcome it! I have even seen a poster up. Are you curious about mindfulness? Would you like company in your exploration? I admit that I am, and I intend to explore mindfulness in the coming week. I have wished to say something on the matter for quite a while. I think it may prove worth our while to relax and try to account for ourselves before the madness of finals — although, there is not a reason to wait.