The Power of Focus

I want to address "focus."  It is a term we throw around in life and in photography (I am in charge of the obvious today). It is a word that defines a good photo, or a good work ethic. We focus on the task at hand, focus on driving, focus on our problems, on success, on our families, our friends, our significant others.... focus is a great thing.   It allows what is most important in our lives to take center stage and the other things to fade into the background.  

I realised today as I was sitting in a coffee shop that I live most of my life lately extremely focused.   Much like a camera in "auto focus"  I find the things closest to me to focus on not realising that life is happening in the background. In a very determined manner I grabbed my coffee and sat down on a pale green bench facing the outside world.  It was only after a very sweet looking older gentleman with a walker, mentioned to me that I was "working hard" that I looked up.  I realised in that moment that I was hyper focussed.  I need to learn to widen my focus.  Doing so wouold allow me to become aware of the life that was being lived infront of me, and open me up to possibly blessing those around me, like that older gentlemen, with a kind word or smile.   

I think this realisation has been brewing for a while, because I had inclings of it as I hiked the other day.   When I hike, I power hike.  I put on my determination and b-line it up all the hills.    I waste no time, because in my mind I think a good hill is a hill I'm on top of.  I rarely stop to enjoy the scenery or the viewpoints because my focus takes over and I am determined to overcome this here mountain.  

I focus so much that I live my life looking down, watching my feet, watching my phone, watching my computer....This kind of focus can be so great but it also can become a crutch or a handicap.  It prohibits encounters with the unplanned or the people that enter our lives.   

So here is the challenge:  

Take a second.   Take a deep breath.   And take in all your surroundings...  become aware of the people in your life that you've allowed to slip into the background and adjust your focus for a moment.    This perspective will do nothing but bless you and those around you.