Observe and return

I'm taking this from one of my favorite Facebook pages - I credit the source below...if you are on FB, they post good stuff like this weekly. This sums up the essence of meditation:

Observe and return.

You can choose to follow your mind wherever it leads you, and suffer the stress, anxiety, and other problems that arise as a result.

Or, you can choose to observe your mind-made activity, use what is helpful, and let the rest pass. When you let the rest pass, it means that - instead of following your mind - you opt to return to the present moment and focus on right here and right now.

Observe and return. It takes practice, but with practice it becomes habitual. And, life improves dramatically as a result.

Source if you are on Facebook.