It was the elk who affirmed my choice.  Though he was only a few yards away, he didn’t seem to see me. I sat on a log – very still, watching him step over the broken fence and wander uphill.   He felt like a gift. Had I not stopped my work and sat down on the log,  I would not have seen him.  

This week I’ve been repairing barbed wire fences for many hours every day. I grew up in the suburbs, so this is a skill I never expected to become proficient at.

My venue for this repair work is awesome. A feast for my senses, that is – if I pause and pay attention. 

Fencing work has been difficult this year due to an exceptional winter snow-pack. Exceptional snow creates exceptional breakages, so it’s a great temptation to push through and never pause at my work. But exceptional snow also creates exceptional wild flowers and contented wildlife who are finally dining on a lush cuisine.

I really value “getting things done”, but I also know the value of paying attention to the broader present moment. So I decided this week to force myself to stop work for a minute or two throughout the day and pay relaxing attention to the world around me.

On my very first pause of the day the elk came sauntering by. I felt so rewarded for my choice.

The Perks of Paying Attention to the Present Moment

My personal reason for paying attention to the present is to experience the wonders of life. Or to put in the negative — to not miss my life.

But there are a lot of other reasons to become skilled at present moment attention.

Whether you are looking for stress management, more life satisfaction, more positive emotion, 

positive social relationships, addiction management, or less illness, – growing in the skill of paying  attention is going to help.

Researchers have verified these benefits and continue to uncover more.

Why is it so hard to pay attention to the present moment?

 There are many theories. The most frequently cited  is our minds’ great skill of imagining the past and future. We are pulled into what was or what could be, throughout the day. This is normal. Then there are other reasons we tend to leave the present moment. Sometimes life feels too hard and ugly to be present. Sometimes fears, regrets, or unsolved problems dominate our thoughts. Sometimes distractions call us away. Media devices are a frequently cited culprit. 

Paying attention to the present moment is surprisingly challenging for us and for many of us it requires  some training. 

I am definitely in the group who needs to train my wandering attention to focus.  I frequently see my mind as a poorly trained 2 year old. Not intentionally bad, but in need of training. 

Here is a little training project you might like to join me in.

Soul Sculpting Project: Just a Minute or Two of Paying Attention

In the midst of your activities today, choose a minute or two to stop and pay attention to the here and now.

You might notice your body, or the sights, sounds and smells of your world. You might become aware of the unseen presence of God. Or you might notice an elk wandering by. 

 I’ve  continued all week to take periodic ‘pay attention’ pauses in my work.  I haven’t had another close elk encounter, but I have seen wildflowers beyond number and several nests of baby birds. Treasures I was awake to see. And I do have to admit, sometimes the present moment was so amazing I loitered for more than two minutes.