More on Focus

In trying to build a strong and intimate relationship with God, one must try to stay in frequent direct communication with God. In addition to talking to God and letting God know one's needs, fears, joys, blessings, and hopes, one must also set one's mind and heart to receive feedback. God is speaking to you at all times, pointing things out, giving you warnings, giving you helpful hints, helping you make good morally-sound decisions, and giving you solace, strength, compassion, and hope any time you need to draw on this support from God.

In my listening more and more to God's words, I am finding that 'focus' plays a huge part, not just of building a deep and meaningful relationship with God, but of literally everything. Focus means to put all of your mind, heart, emotions, and attention into something specific, either mentally or via any of the five senses. Focus is required to have relationships, to find joy, to properly care about other people, to learn anything, to find answers and solutions to any problem, to properly appreciate the beautiful and wondrous gifts from God, to get what you need or want, and especially to love. And the more I've been thinking and philosophising over 'focus,' the more its importance has become more obvious in my life.

Here are some specific personal examples: first, the other day I was in the back yard and I was pondering over why the cantaloupe and the yellow zucchini were dying, but the green zucchini (which is planted in the same hole as the yellow) was thriving and growing like crazy. At first I thought it was just getting late in the year and those varieties were just done for the season. But as I was just standing there looking over the whole yard in focus, I noticed that the shade line from the fence had moved further up the yard, putting the yellow zucchini and cantaloupe fully in the shade, while the green zucchini was still getting full daytime sun. So totally and completely obvious, once I actually noticed it. Focus is a beautiful thing.

Back to my other examples: second, I was in downtown Sacramento this morning with an incredible bunch of friends and family for a walk for the cure to juvenile diabetes that started at the State Capitol and went round-trip through Old Sacramento. It was a gorgeous Autumn day and a tremendously fun time. In focusing more, I enjoyed the people I was with more, although that's quite easy, as they are all wonderful and good people. I also focused on the journey, and never enjoyed being in downtown Sacramento as much before. The air was a little brisk at first, but it was refreshing and nice. The sky was a clean and vibrant blue. The trees and the plants and flowers all had more vividness and splendor. Even the buildings were beautiful and architecturally interesting. I asked my friends several times about different buildings being new, as I had never really seen them before. Spending time really focusing on life is a beautiful and enriching experience.

And third, granted this is as trivial as they come, but it's still a recent example of how focus helps: I figured out yesterday by focusing on a specific problem that my curly hair in front and on top of my head was flat because I throw a towel on my head in the morning and lightly pat my hair dry after my shower. This, apparently, causes the flatness. Again, obvious to me now, and most likely to everyone else, but it took focus for me. Focus is a multi-useful gift from God, and is the essence of our free will.

Really and truly, my advice for the day is to really develop your focus to the fullest of your abilities. Dig deep. And throw some of it God's way as often as your can. I am sure you will be glad you did.