May I Have Your Attention Please
I’m bein’ followed by a moon shadow.
–Cat Stevens
When was the last time you stared at the moon? Or listened to the chatter of the birds? Or the wind in the trees? What about noticing the pattern made by cracks in the sidewalk? Or the coolness of the cotton pillow beneath your head?
These details of the present moment add richness to our lives. They surround us constantly…weaving in and out of our consciousness. A description of life from 30,000 feet doesn’t hold a candle to a gritty account of the details that engage all our senses. Even in response to a simple How was your day?
But being here now isn’t easy in a world that is fraught with distractions. Life summons us.
Cell phones vie for our attention with all manner of discrete insistence. Our homes have rooms filled with screens to attract our eyes and piles of stuff to distract our minds. And we move. Mentally and physically, we flit from one beacon to the next barely noticing the comforting warmth of water as we wash our hands for a hurried meal over the sound of a TV.
How often are we quiet? Completely silent?
How often do we allow our attention to be wholly focused on the present moment?
For how long?
What are we missing or perhaps avoiding? What small quiet voice are we drowning out?
Maybe the very best of us.
And what of the spectators in our lives? Families, friends, and co-workers. What opportunities for authentic connection with them are we missing?
A friend recently decided to permanently delete his Facebook account. It no longer provides him the value it once did. Sometimes, too much is just that. Too much.
I can’t say what you might be missing by not being here now. But your life will. If you pay attention. You might start with the details.
