"Jim Harrison once wrote that there is a clarity to childhood because the attention you pay to what you are doing is total. I think that’s true, but I also think there’s a bittersweetness to it, when you realize that paying total attention to whatever struck your fancy on a given day as a kid meant neglecting something else."
I've been thinking a lot lately about how attention and presence operate in childhood, that weirdly calm, dreamy hyperfocus that as an adult I can nearly only experience on psychoactive drugs and not really completely, not the way it was back then. It's easy to romanticize I think, especially when living in such a distracting time. So your reflections could not be coming at a more apt time.
It's so hard to focus! Even on a tv show or something. It takes real effort to not involve a phone at some point in whatever I'm doing. Even when I am doing it well my mind is often all over the place, so I totally hear you.
Thanks for writing this, Chuck. I enjoy how you tie childhood mementos into what you have to say, here and in other posts. For me, it touches on some sweet part of the big, long continuation we're all here visiting. I, too, had a wiffle ball summer where it seemed like every swing I took was a home run.
Beautiful and evocative… so moved by that magnificent tree that you brought home as a seedling…lovely writing and memories.
Thank you Mona!
"Jim Harrison once wrote that there is a clarity to childhood because the attention you pay to what you are doing is total. I think that’s true, but I also think there’s a bittersweetness to it, when you realize that paying total attention to whatever struck your fancy on a given day as a kid meant neglecting something else."
I've been thinking a lot lately about how attention and presence operate in childhood, that weirdly calm, dreamy hyperfocus that as an adult I can nearly only experience on psychoactive drugs and not really completely, not the way it was back then. It's easy to romanticize I think, especially when living in such a distracting time. So your reflections could not be coming at a more apt time.
I'm sorry for your loss.
It's so hard to focus! Even on a tv show or something. It takes real effort to not involve a phone at some point in whatever I'm doing. Even when I am doing it well my mind is often all over the place, so I totally hear you.
Thanks for writing this, Chuck. I enjoy how you tie childhood mementos into what you have to say, here and in other posts. For me, it touches on some sweet part of the big, long continuation we're all here visiting. I, too, had a wiffle ball summer where it seemed like every swing I took was a home run.
Cheers man, thanks for reading!