Attention to Detail

What do you notice that others don’t? Can you spot a hawk on a fence post 100 yards away? Can you see a rising fish your buddy just missed? Did you spot a piece of trash ten people just walked past? Do you see the pain someone else is experiencing without uttering a single word?

We live in a world where we’re fed information, given specifics and perhaps that has caused us to lose sight of what’s real. I’m not saying we live in The Matrix, but we’re not heading away from that either.

Details matter. Your friends and family matter. Nature matters. Life matters. But we live in a malaise of false prophets, influencers and people who think they know what’s best for us. Friends tell us about the “next best thing” and we believe them, but where did they get their information from?

My point is we’re so inundated with news, reels, and “information” that our minds can’t even focus on the real, specific details anymore, including all the beauty in this world.

I sometimes wonder how many snaps, selfies and videos my students see or watch everyday. Maybe they laugh at one or get enlightened by another, but ALL the other stuff doesn’t get a second thought or like. How can they focus on the details when their capacity to focus is a mere 30 seconds? I mean, their brains aren’t even fully developed yet.

I guess what I’m afraid of is that so many people are so in touch with things that don’t matter, they’re losing focus on the details of what really does matter. Then, they blame this person, that politician or someone I’ve never even heard of, instead of looking in the mirror and realizing it’s actually their fault. The routine of clicking, scrolling and liking has become second nature, yet the details of this world (the real one) are becoming lost.

What did you used to notice that you don’t anymore? Can you even remember what you don’t notice anymore? When you watch a show you love, are you on your phone and missing the details because of “habit?” I am not pointing fingers here because I’m guilty too, but fly fishing has sharpened my senses so much that whether I’m a little jumpy when I hear a branch crack (because I fish in some remote places) or notice a fellow driver is about to fail at correctly navigating a round about (which happened a few weeks ago) I’m ready for it.

This isn’t even just about nature, it’s about our senses and using them to sharpen ourselves in order to improve our lives. I don’t put too much salt (usually) in a recipe because I read the directions. I go the speed limit (most of the time) because I’m not staring at my phone when I’m driving. You’d be surprised how many people do that because I see them and they don’t see me. Why? Maybe they’re watching reruns of Grey’s Anatomy while driving on the highway…I have no idea.

Your family, friends, partner, coworkers, students, bosses, fellow drivers, etc. need you to be focused on the details. Think about what that could mean if you were the one that noticed something nobody else did…You could a hero, beloved colleague, or maybe just an above average parent.

This whole message is for myself too as I head into the final month of school before summer break. Am I missing what my students need because I’m focused on summer plans? Can I do better for them (and myself) when the almost summer “senioritis” hits a certain percentage of my sophomores?

I’m sure I’ll miss some details, but I’m going to be thinking about my words here because at this juncture in time, perhaps we all need to focus on what’s right in front of us.

Don’t forget to look up. I’d hate for you to miss a shooting star or bald eagle flying past.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading and remember, details matter.