Presence and Totality

My 9-year-old daughter, Megan, has incredible focus. When she is involved in a task, she is completely absorbed in it seemingly unaware of the people, activity, and noises around her. As her mother, it fascinates me but also frustrates me if I have to call her name several times before she is even aware I'm speaking to her.

This ability of hers is actually a gift. It is the gift of totality--To be totally immersed in a task... giving it your all... all of your attention, focus and ability. If we all could apply this to each moment, taking one step through life at a time, giving each step your complete attention and energy, we could bring a wondrous new vitality and creativity to all we do. 

There is so much to be done in a day. For me, I have four children, I work part time, I have a household to run. There are countless tasks to complete, many projects and schedules to accomplish and maintain. It is at times overwhelming if I look at all of it at once. I am learning to become a list maker to stop this feeling of being overwhelmed. In my notes app on my phone I now have several lists helping me to organize mine and my family's lives. I keep a list for shopping, for cleaning, for chores, for organizational projects, for purchases. It has helped me tremendously to unclutter my head. Now I can spend my time actually completing a task on one of my lists instead of using that time and energy trying to remember what it is I need to do. 

What I am discovering is that I need to work on being completely present in the moment no matter what I'm doing. My lesson today is totality--Giving each moment my complete and total attention. 

There are tasks we all find boring. It is easy to forget the importance in your work no matter how menial we think the task is. It is not what you are doing, however, it is how you are doing it. It is a lesson I am trying to teach my girls as well. We are learning this one together. If we are washing the dishes, or scrubbing the toilet, or taking out the garbage, or mopping the floor, it is important that we are totally in the moment doing our best to complete that job. If we can do this in the boring, no fun, moments we can certainly apply this in the moments we are more passionate about. It is a habit to form and apply in all we do.