Pay Attention

HEY!! PAY ATTENTION!!

Have you ever yelled that at someone? Let’s be honest we all have. But what puzzles me is why do we have to be reminded to pay attention? I mean,  if I am speaking with someone, shouldn’t I be actively  listening waiting for my turn to respond? I should not be on my phone scrolling my Facebook feed, checking Twitter, texting, nor people watching while someone else is speaking to me. However, I am constantly doing those things all the while believing I can pay attention to my present life.

Here’s the dilemma, our world is moving with lightning speed, and a skill that many of us mastered in grade school, to pay attention has been lost. I was groomed to give my undivided attention to my parents or any adult for that matter, make eye contact, and when appropriate respond politely. But now, conversations are held in bits and pieces, we are so accustomed to not paying attention that we hardly ever hear anything in a conversation. Don’t believe me? How many times have you run into someone on the street and you say, hello and without hesitation (not listening for their response) you reply, I’m good thanks.”  It is the social norm not to pay attention. We are just moving without purpose, speaking without purpose, living without purpose, why, because we fail to pay attention. 

This bothers me, because I am guilty. I assume what my children are going to say before they say it, and I cut them off. I am already formulating a response before the question is uttered, I become impatient when those I encounter can’t move at my pace, I need to stop and pay attention; but it’s a two-edged sword, I never want to give my attention to others but demand others give their attention to me…ouch!

How different our lives would be if paying attention was given its proper respect. How different I would be if I started paying attention to my actions and my words. It’s time to pay attention.

Happy New Life!