The Mind's Eye

"When was the last time you had 40 minutes of unbroken bliss?" This line from the radio was so good I had to write it down with a purple marker. Perhaps a sign of the hectic times in which we live, most people zip through life without those blissful moments. Hopefully this weekend remedied that for many. It did for me.

I have been listening to the book Rapt by Winifred Gallagher about one's abilty to pay attention. From the start, I loved the premise: We choose our life experience based upon our mind's focus. Gallagher's neuropsychological approach to the brain's ability to focus on many levels, as well as our ability to direct our thoughts, has inspired me to consider how I occupy my mind. The holiday season is a prime example of this. In trying to create the 'perfect' holiday moment, many people destroy their holiday cheer by focusing on the small details instead of the big picture. It reminds me of what a very busy friend of mine sagely said, "I may be busy, but I don't have to be unhappy about being busy."