Where Did My Attention Go?
Written by Marcie Stokman, Well-Read Mom Founder and President
At the gas station, I fill my car with gas while my mind fills with chatter. “The tips you need for a better life,” the woman on the little screen above the gas pump informs me and grabs my attention.
I don’t want to stare at a screen on this frosty morning with ice crystals glistening on tree branches, but I do. The video plays on — whether I like it or not. I’m held captive, waiting for my tank to fill.
I’m captivated in less than fifteen seconds.This lifestyle tip is pretty good. Maybe there are more that could help me; I don’t want to miss them.
I pull my phone out and snap a picture of the Q.R. code. Within seconds and without much thought, I’ve just signed up to receive a daily dose of Better Lifestyle Tips delivered right to my inbox.
Back in my car, the first notification beeps through. I’m irritated and restless. I don’t want more notifications or emails or apps on my phone. Why did I sign up for this?
I pull off to the side of the road and delete app after app on my phone. It’s a start. Then, looking up, I notice a little yellow sticker to the right of the dashboard with the letters PPG.
“What is PPG?” I say aloud, as if seeing this sticker for the first time.
I recognize my handwriting and suddenly remember what it is about. Last year, after reading Brother Lawrence’s Practice of the Presence of God, it seemed critical to put Br. Lawrence’s wisdom into practice. So, to help encourage the practice in my life, I took a stack of little Post-It notes, scribbled PPG on each one, and taped these reminders in hidden and not-so-hidden places around my house, my laptop, and in our car.
It worked, at least for a while. Each time I saw a note, I was reminded to lift my gaze and become aware of the Lord’s abiding presence. However, as the months passed, I stopped seeing the stickers and became oblivious to the signs.
But that February morning, frustrated by the screen on the gas pump and my falling prey to the marketing, I saw the PPG sticker, and it woke me up to my dilemma:
My attention is being hijacked, and I want my attention back!
There’s a battle in our culture, a battle for our attention. It’s becoming clear: if we don’t intentionally prioritize our seeking, someone or something else will do it for us.
Single-minded seeking involves intentionality. It takes grit—day by day, moment by moment—to live attentively on life’s journey.
What do I give my attention to?
The choices we make on our phones often fragment and parcel our attention. Reading and discussing great and worthy books together helps us discipline and focus our thoughts.
By following the curated reading list, we assist one another in directing our attention to the pages of the same book during the same month. This staying together is not a small thing. It makes it possible for us to enter into meaningful discussions. Friendships are fostered, and faith grows. This builds community and plants seeds for cultural renewal.
Reading together yields a high return on the investment of our attention.
I am grateful to be on this journey with all of you. Together, we offer one another a kind of accountability to read more, read well, and seek what matters most.
About Marcie Stokman
Marcie Stokman, M.A., is founder and president of Well-Read Mom, an international movement and book club. As a former clinical nurse practitioner in mental health and longtime homeschooler, she writes and speaks to encourage women and share the power of reading. She and her husband, Peter, have seven children and 20 grandchildren. Marcie is the author of The Well-Read Mom: Read more. Read well.
About Well-Read Mom
In Well-Read Mom, women read more and read well. Our hope is to deepen the awareness of meaning hidden in each woman’s daily life, elevate the cultural conversation, and revitalize reading literature from books. If you would like to have us help you select worthy reading material, we invite you to join and read along with us. We are better together! For information on how to start or join a Well-Read Mom group visit our website wellreadmom.com.
