Today, while listening to one of Suzanne Giesemann’s videos on my way to work, I had a simple but profound experience.

I suddenly became aware of the feeling that a spirit guide was beside me, leaning on my right arm, like a friend whispering a joke. It was not much longer than a flash.

“What did I just see?”

Instantly, my mind pictured someone sitting in the passenger seat.

But as I stayed present, I realized that wasn’t actually what I experienced.

Then, another flash… I saw my little dog, who passed away a year ago, up on my dashboard floating just above it like she had shown me several times before.

Spirit was teaching me that he doesn’t need to sit in a seat any more than my little dog does. Spirit can ‘sit’ anywhere it wants.

The presence felt much closer—just beside me. My mind had quietly filled in the blanks with what felt familiar.

I tried to put him in the seat.

That was today’s mindfulness lesson.

Mindfulness gently invites us to pause.

Whether this moment was spiritual or simply an exercise in awareness isn’t the point. The gift was recognizing the difference between what I experienced and what my mind added to it.

And maybe that’s what mindfulness is really teaching us—not to stop thinking, but to become aware of when our thoughts begin writing the story.

Today, I practiced noticing.

Tomorrow, I’ll practice again.