ReFocus

(Date is approximate)

I'm realizing something that is so important that I interrupted my dinner of Butternut Squash to write it down. Focus. Focus is important. It is what allows us to realize what we're doing, to learn more about it, to do it right, to learn from it correctly. Focus, redundantly, FOCUSES our resources on whatever we choose. We have the capacity to CHOOSE what to focus on, but we so rarely do. I mean "we" as the collective of modern society. Constant activity, worries about the future, regrets of the past, clutter our mind, steal our time, and the mind is allowed to ramble whenever our confused, biased, and most often scared concepts carry it. "Our mind is the focusing lens". A diffuse, unsteady lens will achieve little. A small magnifying lens, if correctly focused, can set leaves on fire if properly directed, and with enough sunlight.

Focus on the Now. Strive for it. Do it. If you are confused, focus on your confusion. If you disbelieve this, Focus on your disbelief. Or rather, focus on what you want. But FOCUS on it. Steady focus requires intention, so have one. Strengthen your will. Create resolves. Work towards them. And FOCUS. A diffuse mind is less effective than a diffuse magnifying lens, I postulate. Because while the physical space rests on three dimensions (or so it seems), our mind can travel on vastly, perhaps infinitely more. And to focus your mind effectively, it will serve you well to understand its space. Learn it. Experience it. Explore the other dimensions you have for so long neglected, due to whatever reason. Be it fear, its buddy shame, ITS buddy pride, mistrust, dislike, hate, remorse, disillusionment, ignorance, impatience, apathy - for any reason. I postulate that all people are curious, because Life is curious. It explores possibilities. But it needs you to allow to it to explore. Learn. Understand. Explore paths you've never taken. Do that thing you've wanted to do - paint a picture, learn to whistle, smile at that girl or that boy, or ask that hippie guy at the cafeteria why he wears a baseball cap every single #@!$ day.

Focus on the #@!$ NOW. NOW. Now is never now again. It is not something postponable. It is, literally, quite truthfully, now or never. You are experiencing your existence right now, and it will never be the same. Don't you want to enjoy it?

It is not trivial to learn how to focus. It takes time and effort to tame a wild mind. "Treat it as you would an unruly horse". Tame it. Have it take you where you want, or else you will be dragged to where it whims.

But "No effort is ever wasted". Intend to focus. Pursue it. Strive for it. It is accomplishable, and the results are overwhelmingly worthwhile.

P.S. I noticed the importance of Focus minutes ago, while folding my laundry. I realized that, if I was whistling Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement whil folding my underwear, I would perform neither as well as I could. And it was true. It took a slight effort, but after a few mental derailings (which are so common nowadays), I entered a stable state of my mind and my body working together to fold my laundry. This made the experience more enjoyable, more memorable, and it empowered me during that while.

Focus on the Now.
Expand your Dimensionality.
Strive to be Happy.
Nov 27, 2011