Spring is a wonderful time of year, a time when things that looked brown or dead come to life. Everywhere you look there is color thanks to the spring showers and nature’s flower template. It’s also a time to enjoy a walk in the woods to look for the elusive sponge mushroom. Recently while visiting my parents I took off on a hike to review the possible hiding spots from my childhood. While trapesing through the fields to the woods, I encountered the red and white faces of the cattle that had also brought much joy through the years. When my search ended, empty handed I discovered the cattle were not to be in that field and with a quick whistle and a bucket of grain, they were quickly moved to the correct pasture.
The next morning, Dad and I walked the fence line, searching for the spot where they made their great escape. I was focused on the fence. Each post I tested the wires and mended as needed as I went along. I walked the entire fence with no notice for the spot they escaped, but I could tell you every place that I fixed. Dad walked behind me and found it quickly, he asked “didn’t you notice the footprints on the other side or the mud on the strand of fence you fixed?”
Here’s my lesson for the day. I was so focused on the fence posts and the stands between the posts that I failed to notice anything else around. How easy it was to become so focused on a particular part of the issue that I failed to gather information that would have made the solution much easier. Life, is all about the perspective we take. In her article “Life is How You See It” , Donna Labermeier shares her take on how you and I might make our lives a little easier.
There are mounds of research on right brain thinking, or big picture thinking as a way to solve our problems that extend way beyond this blog. It also ties to Mindfulness; being present in the moment and really paying attention to those sights and sounds around you, not just charging ahead to get it off of your list. In either case, what I did realize is that Dad’s sage advice to pay attention to the signs around me, will help me save time and do the job correctly, the first time.
Author: Melinda Hill, Ohio State University Extension, Family and Consumer Science Educator, Wayne County
Reviewed by: Carmen Irving, Ohio State University Extension, Family and Consumer Science Educator, Union County
