At times, in a crowded subway car, I feel a strong urge to escape—escape the pressure of that enclosed space. In certain situations, I feel I cannot stay even for another minute. But one day last year, I suddenly understood: there’s no need to flee from “here” to “there.” Wherever I am, I am always “here,” always at my own starting point. Only the external environment changes.
To both experience and observe is a uniquely human ability. Some call it “metacognition,” the awareness of one’s own thinking. Animals can feel emotions, but it’s hard to imagine a lion observing its own anger. I’m not sure whether animals think, but they certainly do not observe their thinking. As humans, we can be director, actor, and audience at once—fully engaged yet still clear-headed.