So there I was, walking down to buy some pizza for dinner.

It was dark and cold, the wind biting through cloth and skin alike. It reminded me of walking through a freezer with the fans on. With hands in pockets to stop them turning purple I continued towards the little pizza shop on the corner of the arcade.

Entering inside the warmth is comforting. It really is a small shop, with about 3 tables inside before reaching the counter. The shop clearly focuses on take-away sales.

I stand at the counter, waiting to be served. The staff are about a meter away from me, mostly high school kids, chatting loudly as they make pizzas. They don’t seem to have noticed me.

I notice a bell on the counter, ‘ring for service’. Consider the staff is so close to me I feel it would be unnecessary to ring. I remember how it used to make me feel when a customer would make a fuss when I was moments away from them.

Waiting I watch myself carefully. No emotions are active in my chest, a good sign. I used to feel irritation(anger) when I was waiting unnoticed before, progress has been made.

One of the staff sees me and comes over apologising briefly for keeping me waiting and then asks me for my order. He is covered with flour, unkempt hair and a face contusion that indicates a short temper.

When he gets across from me I notice a sensation in my chest, cramping me up. Fear. I maintain separation and it starts subsiding quickly. I speak my order carefully, watching for re-occurrences.

Taking a seat to wait for the pizzas to be cooked I look around, seeing everything and listening to all the sounds. It is quite interesting all the different sounds that go on, the feel of the table under my hand.

The chef starts singing loudly. My enjoyment of peace is shattered not by the singing but rather by the emotion that bursts into my chest. It is like when I was being served but stronger, it shoots in and makes me feel like I am shrinking. My perception of the room changes and there is a sensation in my chest that suggest that the room is very oppressing. I notice my shoulders raise a little and my arms coming closer to my body.

I remain separated and start removing each element. It takes a bit longer than it did at the counter because I did not catch it in the very first instant and it is stronger. The emotions reduce until they dissapear all together, my body relaxes.

The room returns to its original size and peace returns to me. A smile creeps onto my face as I listen to the dissonant harmony between the chef and the oven. The fear doesn’t return.

Analysis of the Event

As you can see, my fears occurred totally irrational. The pizza chef meant no harm in his boisterous singing, yet if I had of let the emotions continue to build they would have been mildly crippling.

This is a simple example of what happens every day in life. It could be in the crowded que of a supermarket, the entrance to your new job or on public transport.

There are little events scattered throughout our days that bring up lots of tiny fears. If we don’t notice them they steal our energy and take away our peace and happiness.

We retire to our homes feeling safe again, somewhat. Wishing we didn’t have to go through those events that make us feel uncomfortable even though we don’t realise why.

Watch yourself and you can learn how to set yourself free.

Spending a few days in Bangalore, India has been most interesting.

The culture here is totally different to that of Australia. For fun I’ll name a few differences.

• Eating: A whole lot of stuff is eaten with the hands. Back home it would be unheard of to mix and eat rice with just your hands. Oh and do not eat with your left hand, don’t ask
• Roads: The traffic in Bangalore appears to be very chaotic. Practically anything that is done on the roads here would get you pulled over and fined by police at home

But even with all the different smells, tastes and crazy running across highways I’ve noticed that it doesn’t really feel different to me.

Although I am in India, I still feel the same as I felt in Australia.

People are still people and I still feel just as connected. Even though most of the time I can’t understand what they are saying.

To me this proves something that I had wanted to check.

No matter where we come from, what our upbringing was like, what are beliefs are, what religion we follow.

We are all the same.

While it is nice to read, it is much more important to feel. I would urge everyone to try and feel the likeness.