Distractions, attention, and focus

It was a beautiful winter night to take our dog out for a walk. Looking toward the west I saw the planetary alignment my wife had told me about earlier that day. I immediately pulled out my phone to capture a picture. But, the picture didn’t look just right. So, I opened a browser window to see what settings to adjust for night shots. I must have messed with my phone settings for ten minutes before the ridiculousness of the situation dawned on me.

Why not just look at and enjoy what you’re seeing?

Our society is terribly burdened by demands on our attention, distraction, and failure to be present.

Which makes the attached article all the more important. In his article, On Not Carrying a Camera, John Rosenthal recounts what he learned when he photographed his child’s birth: “Over the next few days, I thought about my son’s birth. I was in the room when it happened, but was I really there, or had I been hiding behind my camera?”

I do hope you’ll read his article. What moments do you wish you had been more present for?