When we hear bells

 I watched half a of really pretentious and boring documentary about Thich Nhat Hanh.  One thing sticks with me.  As a worker in brown robes was talking to a young woman across a table (checking her in for a weekend retreat?) soft bells began to chime.  Not a gong or meditation bell, but something like from grandma Lange's house that does a little soft tune every quarter hour.  In the background, you see other people take notice... like at the beginning of the sound of a fire drill (is this a test?  am I supposed to do something?).  A hush and attention occurs.  The worker says, "do you know about the bells?" The woman nods in semi-agreement.  The worker says: "When we hear the bells we stop what we're doing and listen.  It's to remind us to be mindful through the day."  Those weren't the exact words, but it was simple  and unaffected.  When the bells chime on the quarter hour, and they're not fancy bells, it means stop what you're doing for a few seconds and pay attention to the currently unfolding world.