“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust swirling and dancing in eddies and whirlpools in infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.” ~ Paulo Coelho
I think the first lesson I got in being hyper-focused upon something came when I took driving school. I could not take driver’s ed in summer school since our family was building a cottage the summers of my high school years. Instead, I enrolled at Rite Way Driving in Hammond. The program was very much the same as summer school, just stretched out over more weeks in the late afternoons or evenings.
After the classroom portion of the school, I finally made it to the driving portion. I was focused, oh, so focused, upon the experience. Check the mirrors, check the speedometer, check the sides, while at all times keeping an eye on the road ahead. The first couple of sessions were just drives around the block. Then, the “big” day came when I was taken down bigger roads.
We were traveling south on Indianapolis Blvd to US 30. I turned west on US 30 and was on my way to Dyer. I was feeling pretty comfortable and competent in the driver’s seat. All of a sudden, the instructor asked a question that just blew me away. He asked, “What were the last three signs that you just passed?”
Well, gee, I didn’t know. I was too busy watching the road, don’t you know? It never occurred to me that there were other important tasks to focus upon beside watching all the things in the car. How would I ever know where to go if I didn’t pay attention to directional signs? How would I know what hazards were ahead if I didn’t pay attention to warning signs? How would I know what interesting things might be ahead if I didn’t see the advertising?
Our eyes need to be all over the place in order to recognize directions, warnings, and invitations. Our hearts need to be all over the place for the same reason. If we are too focused upon the path ahead and fail to take into account all the people we will meet along the way, we are “doing life wrong.” God made us a social people. He also made us a temporary people. We only have so much time in our lives to get it right.
FAITH ACTION: Stop to notice all the things that come your way today and be thankful for the gift of life that God has given to you.