The Art of Attentiveness

  Fall, or my favorite name for this season,
 Autumn, calls me once again to practice
 the art of attentiveness.
     In less than two weeks,
 the trees have changed from
 green to varied shades of
yellow,
            orange,
                        red
                              and deep purple.
 Have you noticed?

  Another event in my life has reminded me anew of the importance of attentiveness:
   the death of a puppy.
Was she nursing well? Was she eating puppy mush? Was she gaining weight?

 To be able to answer these questions required attentiveness.
And on the last day of her life, it was watching closely for ways I could make her struggle to live easier.
 Each detail mattered.

    I am still learning this "art of attentiveness" as Mark Buchanan calls it in his book " The Rest of God".
 He defines this as:

"being fully present, wholly awake, in each moment".

 For me, it means being focused on what is in front of me, not thinking about what is next.
 For others, it may mean slowing down and taking the time to be fully present.
 What would it take for you to practice this art?

    Whether the moment is one of joy or pain, there are lessons to be learned, love to be given and received and life to be lived.

Oh to be one who lives practicing the art of attentiveness!