For me, being open and being present is being in silence and solitude. I can be silent and in solitude anywhere, any time. Sitting quietly looking out the window is my favorite place, but that can be anywhere. I can drop into silence and solitude in rush hour traffic, having lunch at my favorite restaurant, walking through the natural world… It is a frame of mind, a point of view. And it is essential to being here, now, open and available to the things that require my attention to urge me to tend the things that need to be done.