meditation and mindfulness

In the first piece in my "writing therapy" section, I discuss how I first became drawn to meditation. I was in high school, and seeking an escape from my sensitivity to the ups and downs of the external world. I wanted to become more centered, poised, and confident. I wanted to be consistently happy and at ease.

I googled "how to meditate" and began to read about it online. Then for a year or so I meditated almost every day. I would still in a half-lotus position and count my breath unitl the thoughts in my head slowed down.

I don't meditate regularly today, but I believe that my experiences with meditation have helped me gain some perspective, some distance, from the crazy ups and downs of the world aroud me. When I am experiencing stress or anxiety, I try to zoom out of my immediate reality and think about what really matters. To me, at least.

Have you every tried meditation? If so, what inspired you to do so, and what were your experiences like? If not, do you have any mechanisms for coping with the craziness of reality, for finding a central source of comfort and peace when the world around you seems out of your control?