Being there

I multi-task. That's what I do. I can be making lunches for school tomorrow while I've got dinner going while I'm talking on the phone and checking on the kids outside and maybe even walking around the house tidying up, too. I usually carry my knitting around with me, in case I have five minutes in the car. I always have my notebook with me to jot down ideas or make a list or write down a quote from the radio, etc. And since I started this blog, I rarely leave home without the digital camera, without snapping pictures of everything I see around me hoping I'll get just a couple of keepers.

Today, twice, I forgot it all. Not on purpose, I just forgot. Ran out of the house empty handed. I think I had about eight extra minutes before nursery school pick-up that I was cursing for not having brought something to do.

This got me thinking about how much time I spend doing something else with my mind or hands while my body just has to show up somewhere. And how this is the opposite of being there. Being present.

This bothers me not only for my own sake- I always considered myself to be a particularly engaged human, aware of my surroundings-but also because I see my daughters starting to do the same thing. Homework in the car while waiting for their sisters to come out of school, reading while they're eating breakfast, and the worst of all:texting. My twelve year old got a phone for her birthday, and I do believe that what is gained in convenience and safety outweighs the cons...but man, that thing is constantly ringing. Seeing her stand in the middle of a room full of people typing away to someone on the other side of town makes me cringe.

So, yes, now we have rules. Turn it off when you get home; don't answer it while you're talking to someone else.

But I think it's just symptomatic of how we are all living just a notch faster, more efficiently, more connected (in the electronic sense) than we need to be. This one goes to eleven.

So today, after my unproductive pick-up, I watched Anna skip down the street from school. She was so happy-it was one of those perfect moments- and I watched her from behind thinking how I wished I had my camera.

I didn't, but at least I was there.

Trying to stay present, and get it all done. Thanks for reading.
tt