Look Up!

These poignant words from a great 20th century philosopher have never been more true:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while…

You could miss it!”

– Ferris Bueller, 1986

Our lives are made up of an ongoing series of moments. How many of these moments we invest or squander is entirely up to us. In some of these moments, we are acutely aware of the choice we are making, whether it be wise or regrettable. I’ll bet most of us spend lots of our moments unconscious of the fact that we are making a choice every moment. We so often simply do what we feel like doing or whatever “seems like the thing to do” in a given moment, or even a big chunk of a day or week or whatever. And when we live in this mode, we risk losing priceless moments for ever. Priceless opportunities. Chances to make a difference. Choices to make a real difference for someone. Times we could be fully engaged, alert, and on-mission.

And the sad, increasingly Matrix-like reality is that we miss more and more of these amazing opportune moments because our attention is directed into our Digital Diversion Devices. Our screens, especially the ones on our “smart” phones, tantalize us with sounds and colors and demands and promises and enticements and reminders and gadgets and a host of moment-devouring bells and whistles. I’m not railing against technology. Really, I’m not. I’m not even saying we should chuck out phones in the nearest body of water (please don’t forget that body of water is home to countless beautiful creatures!). But I am urging all of us (and that most certainly includes my self) to LOOK UP!!!

Pull your eyes and your fingers and your attention away from that electronic vortex of What’s Not Exactly Happening Right Here, Right Now so you can…

See the beauty in front of you and take time to celebrate it. Be aware of the danger around you, without being paralyzed by fear. Be fully present with your child or your friend or your neighbor or your spouse or your co-worker or your postal delivery person or your restaurant server or your grocery store clerk or that sad looking stranger over there and and build them up with the simple power of valuing them enough to pay attention. Live on purpose. Seize the day. Invest your moments deliberately and wisely. And make sure you are using your phone as a tool to help you do just that – rather than letting your phone use you as a tool to further someone else’s agenda.

Now, grab someone you care about and go find a gator…and savor that grand moment!