My View: Presence of Mind

What is presence of mind? The ability to remain calm and act constructively during times of crisis, or saying or doing the right thing when time is in short supply.

What exactly is it? What is it made of? How to nurture it?

Though I could not find an unequivocal definition, the idea of presence of mind, I think can be taken to be, what is ingrained in 'a fitting reaction'.

Now that we know, presence of mind is best seen in the appropriateness of our reactions to events and occurrences around us, let us see what influence aptness.

The willow which bends to the tempest better withstand the turbulence, and also escapes better than the oak which resists it.

True genius, in strategy or anywhere, lies more in self-control and fluidity of thought, than in raw strength.

The most successful gentleman is not the one who is better refined, or more sensible or stronger, but the one who is more flexible or more adaptable, one whose reactions are most appropriate.
What do these show, of presence of mind ?

Who can be having that? 
Naturally the one who is certain about the matters one deals. All that we discussed, flexibility, fluidity of thought, and the supple nature, are normal, in someone who is thorough with whatever one is handling. Unlike the discussions seen most often, where it is shown to be of spiritual nature, good presence of mind needs an exhaustive grasp of the entity concerned.

The one who does not have that grasp will always have ones mind, wandering aimlessly. This can be identified as absence of mind, and is the primary cause of loss of attention. In fact, this, absecnce of mind, is the real entity, we should be after. Presence of mind is nothing but the absence of 'absence of mind'.

The remedy should now be clear. The more thorough one is about the matter one is seized of, the less, ones attention needs to waver. Therefore, good presence of mind is a product of mastery over the subject.