Most of the time, we barely look at an apple we are eating. We grab it, take a bite, chew quickly, and swallow. In his inspiring book. Savor, Thich Nhât Hanh describes a simple “apple meditation” to remind us how to approach and appreciate every experience in a more mindful state. The next time you eat an apple…

Hold onto it for a moment. What kind of apple is it? What color is it? How does it feel in your hand? What does it smell like?

Give the apple a smile and slowly take a bite. What does it feel like in your mouth? What does it taste like? What is it like to chew and swallow it? Truly savor all the qualities the appl is offering you: its sweetness, aroma, freshness, juiciness, crispness. There is nothing else filing your mind as you chew—no projects, no deadlines, no worries, no to-do lists, no fears, no sorrows, no anger, no past, no future. Just this apple.

In this way you appreciate the apple as it is. You become fully aware of eating the apple, and you become fully engaged in the here and now. By living in the moment you become more alive. If you can savor the apple, you can savor your life.