I was enjoying a margarita at my favorite watering hole, sitting on my favorite green padded stool, when in walked three identical looking chaps. They sat on the three stools next to me.

Now, they weren’t truly identical, one had brown hair, one had blond hair, and one had red hair. But, they all had an identical confused look on their face!

“Hello fellas, how are you this fine day?” I said, trying to be friendly.

The one next to me smiled and said: “I’m Sane, and next to me are Eccentric and Mad.”

“Those are your names?”

They all nodded.

I gulped down my margarita and ordered another.

“I’m trying to help my two friends here back to sanity,” said the one called Sane.

“Do you often talk to strangers about your mental states?”

They all nodded.

“One of the great joys of life is talking to strangers and getting involved in “real” conversations with them,” said Eccentric.

“I try to take a bath everyday,” said Mad.

“Good for you, Mad,” I said, smiling. He didn’t smile back!

“I tell my two friends here to take at least 15 minutes a day and do nothing, it helps to slow things down in this frenzied world,” said Sane.

“Are you frustrated? Are you depressed? Or, are you mad?” I said, taking a sip of my third margarita.

“You hit the nail on the head,” said all three in unison.

“That’s good, because these could be your motivators towards change.”

“How can we relax and retain our sanity or get it back?” They all asked, even Sane.

“Sit very still and listen for a few minutes. What do you hear?”

“I hear my breathing,” said Sane.

“I hear my heart beating,” said Eccentric.

“I hear someone laughing,” said Mad.

“Now, do you all feel relaxed and sane?”

“Yes, we do,” they all said together.

“Well, you feel relaxed and calm because you are experiencing being in the present, which we seldom experience now days.”

We all started laughing. It was a wonderful moment.

“If we couldn’t laugh, we would go looney,” I said wisely.

“Well, we have to leave now, nice meeting you,” said Sane, and they all walked out into the sunshine.

I thought… I think I will go home and have a bath!