{"id":1881,"date":"2011-11-29T19:04:43","date_gmt":"2011-11-30T00:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/blissblog\/?p=1881"},"modified":"2011-11-29T19:04:43","modified_gmt":"2011-11-30T00:04:43","slug":"attention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/blissblog\/2011\/11\/attention.html","title":{"rendered":"Attention"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Because I was paying attention, this message came through to me through sleepy eyes this morning. A Facebook friend named Don Robertson was the messenger who delivered it to my heart.<\/em><\/h6>\n
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“Attention is a tangible measure of love. Whatever receives our time and attention becomes the center of gravity, the focus of our life. This is what we do with what we love: We allow it to become our center. What is at the center of your life? Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule … this is what receives your care and attention – and by definition, your love.”
\n~Wayne Muller<\/h6>\n

As the end of the year approaches, I just bought a 2012 calendar, as I am booking dates for presentations and\u00a0 social gatherings. Since it jumped off the shelf at the bookstore the other day,\u00a0 I chose The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz as the theme next year as a means of reminding me what is important in my life. My 2011 date book has quotes by Yogananda as guides.\u00a0\u00a0 Although it is filled to overflowing with times and words that represent my agreements with the world, they are mostly joy-filled- to- overflowing things. They remind me that I matter and that the people in my life matter. And I do shower them with love. There are times though when droughts occur that carry with them worry and fear, with thunder and lightning crashes and flashes of “What if I can’t get it all done? What if I let people down? ” I do the best I can to calm the storm and watch carefully for the rainbow left in its wake. I then take time to focus on self care; which includes gym- yoga-on-and-off-the-mat -massage-meditation-dancing-nature-loved ones-brightly-painted-toe-pedicure-time.\u00a0 Those activities refresh me so that I am able to devote attention on the essence of love that is always present, whether or not I am aware of it.\u00a0 My center of gravity is balanced by the influx and outflow of that core energy that I am convinced fuels the planet. For a long time, the equation had been a bit lopsided, as I had not allowed myself to be on the receiving end. When I recognized that there could truly be no giver if there was no receiver and the cycle could not be complete, I surrendered to the inevitability that I was just gonna have to surrender and accept, allowing the Universe to shower me with blessings too. When my cup runneth over, there is simply more to give. And THAT is worth my time and attention.<\/p>\n

Where Is The Love? by The Black Eyed Peas<\/p>\n