high school just got simpler

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Focus on Doing

Recently, my high school has allowed cell phone and mp3 player usage during class changes and lunch periods. Once people were allowed to do this, everyone was buried in their phones. At lunch, everybody is either texting or listening to music. I jumped on this opportunity as fast as everyone else.

Being a teen, I would constantly text, and listen to music. Now, though, I resent even carrying electronics in school. If I text in the hallways, I constantly need to check to see where I am going. It's like texting and driving. You shouldn't do it.

After being exposed to the freedom of texting in school, I no longer want to. I'd much rather be present and talk with my friends that are around me. I like being with my friends now more than trying to hold a conversation with someone in a different room (I can catch up with them later anyway).

This brings me to the zen proverb, "When walking, walk. When eating, eat." This concept is so simple, and incredibly easy. While at school, turn off your phone. Be with your friends, talk, have a good time where you are. You won't be penalized for not updating your facebook status at noon. What would you say? You, and everyone else, can wait until later in the day.

Right now you are probably checking facebook, listening to music, and texting friends. All at the same time. So much information is distracting, and your brain misses what's important. We are constantly thinking about last night, what's for dinner, schoolwork, a new movie, and all sorts of things that distract you from what you're doing now.

Focus on doing. Don't focus on what's going on with someone else. It doesn't matter what it is: walking, doing homework, eating, playing, laughing, or even breathing. When you focus on the now and the doing, everything else melts away. This simple way of living is beautiful.

Choose one thing right now. Focus on just that. Clear out everything else. Get rid of distractions. Really, clear your environment of everything but one thing you want to focus on. Once you finish reading this, turn off your Internet. Read a book, write a story, eat an apple. Do whatever it is slowly. Enjoy every moment of what you're doing now.

Everything else is meaningless. Just you, and now.
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