I Lost My Train of Thought

by Brenda Black
Published October 6, 2009

We’re building a society that has the attention span of a turnip! Commercials, road signs, drive through dining, and high-tech everything makes us think, read, eat and operate at high speed. I haven’t tested this theory, but I am suspicious that stop light sequences are shorter than they used to be. Harried motorists have no patience to sit still more than two minutes. Horns start honking, faces frown, colorful gestures will surely abound if the lead driver isn’t fast out of the blocks when the light turns green. Where was I headed with this thought?... Oh, yes, our attention span is deteriorating.

The microwave saved the day by reducing countless hours waiting for food to heat. The computer is time-warp fast, but I still get frustrated when 23 items remain to be loaded on the screen and my baked potato takes more than five minutes. I find myself running in circles, trying to not waste a step. Papers to grade, meals to cook, house to clean, laundry to do, articles to write, clothes to iron, phone calls to make, family to love, car to the shop, groceries to buy, book deadlines, oh my! Now, what was I going to write?...Oh, yes, concentration is becoming obsolete.

Speaking of writing a book...I think I mentioned something about that. I can’t remember... The publisher says write short chapters. Today’s reader won’t stick with it if it takes too much time. If you’ve read to here, there is hope that you haven’t completely lost your faculties.

While most days are spent in panic, there are moments when time is virtually forgotten. Take for instance a victorious celebration like your child's first touch down and the team carrying him triumphantly off the field. There’s no rush to see that end. We smile and joyfully cry and clap our hands, without once thinking “that’s enough.” Or imagine the birth of a baby girl. At what point does one rush out of the room because she's not worth the wait.

Consider a sunset across the lake, painted for two lovers who know it’s getting late. But the kids are grown, there are no chores at home. They hold hands and talk, and actually walk, along the shore to take in the view. Neither one looks at his or her watch and thinks God ought to get this show on the road. They wait. They watch. They breathe and pause.

I’m thinking more clearly now. Just imagining these frozen moments in time helps me realize that life is passing far too fast. We need to celebrate something everyday and not rush it away. Look for long-awaited blessings and be more patient for their arrival. Then try to spend time with the one you love and just enjoy the company.

The things that cloud our concentration will someday all be gone. We need to take time to develop memories that will live forever. Yes, I’m thinking quite clearly now. My train of thought that jumped the tracks is finally back and here’s my helpful tip: Friends, slow down, before you lose your head and miss timeless moments for the heart.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
(Colossians 3:2)

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