The Aquatic Mindset

Did the title make you think? Excellent.  During my meditation and relaxation the thought gently landed in my mind.

How often do we focus so intently on something that we walk right pass someone we know and do not see them? Or the time we were searching for our keys, our wallet, or something of value and it was sitting right in our faces? Or we spend hours trying to understand words that were spoken, but the minute we relax, the meaning becomes perfectly clear?

DISCLAIMER:  I am not talking about your goals you have set for your life (in a sense of speaking, just hear me out).

When we focus intently on the task ahead, we miss so many things that are around us. My father, who is a 3rd degree brown belt in Karate, lost a competition when he started practicing because he forgot one important thing he was taught “keep your mind as water”.  When he focused solely on one area of his opponent, he couldn’t “see” what the guy was planning.  My dad woke up in the hospital 3 days later with a headache after receiving a roundhouse kick to the head. OUCH!  Needless to say after that incident my dad never had that to happen anymore.

Over the years I have learned to keep my mind in an aquatic like state (after being physically attacked by an unstable person that surprised me).  I was able to avoid so many situations that were detrimental to me (disconnected drivers on the road, robbery).  People with evil intentions look and search for people who are so focused that they aren’t aware of what is about to happen to them. But on the bright side, we miss opportunities to meet good people, enjoy and smell the flowers, visit museums and other beautiful sites.  

If we don’t expand our tunneled views, one day we will look up (like Rip Van Winkle) and 20 years have passed us by….regretfully.

That’s my say….