The Heart of the Matter
I now walk a mile a day to get back a sense of normalcy after post-surgery treatment. One time, on my way to our lovely new neighborhood park, I had to sit a bit longer at a stop sign for a women crossing the street — in slow motion. It was early, I get it. I wasn’t totally awake either but, good thing for her, I am “woke.”
This was the same intersection when, not too long ago, a careening car would’ve jumped the curb if it hadn’t been for a thick shrub. This woman never looked up at me or at the busy street she walked along. She was mid-thirties, maybe, and very fit. In one hand was her dog’s leash and, in the other, the phone she was totally focused on.
I’m guessing (in her mind) she was successfully multi-tasking. In my mind not so much. In fact, Inc magazine recently published an article about the myth of multi-tasking. Science says the brain is incapable of focusing on more than one thing at a time. And that what we define as multi-tasking is just us switching our focus. The more we do it, the less effective we are. Well, ain’t that a kick in the ego?
Anyway, by the time I got to the park I had forgotten all about her. I was into my routine, dodging the sprinklers, admiring the new baseball fields and the meticulous green landscaping when something red caught my eye — a heart painted rock. The rock was placed in a way that said “pick me up.” So I did.
As I looked around I saw more rocks, all with different images or words painted on one side. How fun that someone would take the time to do this and present them to people they’ll never meet. How thoughtful. There were hearts, landscapes, sky-scrapes or words like “blessed,” “love,” “imagine.” Each lifting the spirits of those who engaged.
Now, instead of just passing by the other walkers, we all took a moment to acknowledge the sweet, anonymous, gift. I especially enjoyed watching a little boy stare at his rock. His face said he was trying to wrap his mind around the big idea that fit in his little hand. There was another woman walking with her elderly mother. Both their faces lit up as we talked about the rocks.
Routines take us out of the present moment where little miracles happen every day. Habits numb the senses and regimens can dull our minds. Not only did these rocks bring us deeper into the present they gave us permission to connect with each other — strangers of mixed races and ages happily uniting in our common experience. Yes, it was early, but the day already felt lighter. And, all of it available to us because we put away our phones.
- Pat McGrath