Are you living a distracted life?
"Okay, I think I understand, but just in case, tell it all to me again. I wasn't listening."Emmet - The Lego Movie
I overhead a conversation between a couple where the wife was telling her husband that's she's tired of him being distracted and preoccupied. She said his attention level was, "stretched thin and stuffed full,"and she was tired of competing.
I believe she was complaining about his attention to his phone. However, I didn't hear much else.
I have no idea if the man had a rebuttal or an excuse, but the wife's sentiment was enough to stop me cold.
I pictured her thoughts as words on a page. I imagined the words in all caps, mashed together, taking up the maximum amount of space, and being practically unreadable.
Y O U A R E S T R E T C H E D T H I N A N D S T U F F E D F U L L !
I think that's what our lives look like when we live without boundaries; when we accept our distractions as somehow necessary.
When we give our attention away in dribs and drabs, no one benefits from our presence. When we don't look up and really see people, we devalue their worth.
I don't know about you, but I am quick to make excuses for why something (or someone) doesn't have my full attention.
I'm expecting a call.I want to make sure it's not the kid's schoolIs there another storm on the way?Maybe a client has an emergency! I wonder, is Chipper Jones in the Hall of Fame?
Your distractions might be different than mine, but I'm betting you understand the struggle with dividing your attention.
A R E Y O U S T R E T C H E D T H I N A N D S T U F F E D F U L L ?
Life's moments are most rewarding when we are fully present.
Are you ready to be here now? Today? This week?
The people you encounter would benefit by having you fully present, but you might benefit even more.
Let's all give it a try.