I went out today for a bike ride with the sole purpose of taking some photos of murals to share with everyone here. I did take a lot of them, but the first one was my favourite, and it got me thinking on an entirely different level altogether.

There was something so peaceful about her face here; the painting done so softly in shades of muted pastels. And just so you know, "Consciencia Viva" literally translates to "Living consciousness", or Conscious Living.

Being "conscious" means being fully aware of your surroundings, being in-tuned to everything, our environment, feelings and emotions, career, family, neighbourhood, friends, essentially our life. I have always lived this way, even before the idea of consciousness became a mainstream bandwagon for folks to jump on and tout their new enlightenment.

For me it always just is.

It's the little details in life that make it special; that piece of spaghetti stuck on your little one's face at dinner, the way the leaves blow on the trees in a gentle wind, the sun shining in the morning and setting in the evening, the moon, a friend's smile, a lover's kiss, the cute red house on the way to work, the recognition of a co-worker for a job well done...I could go on and on.

But what makes me really sad is that too many people have lost, or perhaps never had, the idea of being conscious. Sure they may live their life, but are they really living their life. Are they so busy and in a hurry all the time and simply focused on getting things done, that they miss out on the beauty in everyday things? Do they ever really process the emotions they're having? Do they notice their loved ones and spend quality time with them?

The other piece of this mural is an equally beautiful woman, who to me appears to be smirking.

Perhaps she senses that as a society, we are losing the human in humanity.

Perhaps she also senses that some of us are fighting to keep it there.