Focus

In photography, one of the most important skills is figuring out what should be in focus, and what should be background. In a good photograph, that which is not in focus acts as a complement to the subject of the photo. It is important not only to select what to focus on, but also what not to.

So too in parenting, and in life. It took me a long time to realize that I cannot possibly focus on everything at once. In essence, what this leaves me with is nothing in focus. By choosing something to be the immediate recipient of my attention, this necessarily means that other things are not getting my attention. And this is not a bad thing.

In fact, it's quite liberating to say to something that frankly just isn't that important: I cannot focus on you. You are not deserving of the gift of my brain's energy. Your mind is a limited resource. Be stingy.

Today I am traveling with my children. Although there is a mighty to-do list piling up at home, it does me no good to think about that now -- there's nothing I can do about it today. Today I will focus on where we are right now, on the three children with me, on what we need right here, today. How very freeing.

This post is part of the Moms' 30-Minute Blog Challenge, courtesy of SteadyMom.