Focus

Photo by cottonbro

I have a lovely little pair of binoculars for hiking. They can zoom in on things that are already close, like the intricate interior of a lily or violet, or they can zoom in on mountain goats on a craggy cliff way off in the distance. It’s so fun to use the binoculars to bring things that delight me even closer, so they can be more fully experienced.

We naturally use binoculars to focus on the things we want to see more of – things that bring us pleasure or joy. But in our daily lives, we often focus on things that disturb or upset us. We might complain about feeling mistreated in some way, or we may voraciously consume news about things that are distressing. Complaining about something usually makes us feel angrier, and focusing on things that upset us in this world results in our feeling even more upset. 

Our vibration will match the vibration of whatever is receiving our attention, so what we focus on determines whether we are raising or lowering our vibration. Unfortunately, we are usually not aware of where we are focusing or how it is affecting us. When we become more conscious of our focus, we can make choices that are more uplifting, and when we uplift ourselves, we in turn contribute to raising the vibration of the human collective of which we are a part.

Of course there are times when we must pay attention to unhappy things, so that we can do what needs to be done to improve them. But I think it’s important to be aware of what our intentions are, and how our feelings are being affected. Am I picking up the litter on the street in order to be of service, and do I feel good about the contribution I am making? Or am I picking up the trash while feeling disgusted at how inconsiderate it is for people to litter and feeding those bitter feelings?

We are choosing in every moment where we place our focus, whether consciously or unconsciously. Just as I make a conscious choice to focus my binoculars on things that bring me joy, I can be conscious about my focus in life.

Here’s to focusing on beauty and joy and happiness!

Kathleen Crow

Librarian for the JMSI and Belk Libraries