Stand and Stare
Jane Stephenson
What is this life if, full of care
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care
We have to no time to stand and stare.
William Henry Davies
As I checked my weapon of mass distraction for messages I thought ‘how have I come to this?’ the obsessive checking at each beep - my parents would have been horrified by the mobile phone and its ability to distract. It’s no wonder that Mindfulness is the buzz word of the day. People used to practice mindfulness naturally, walking in nature, gardening and engaging in creative tasks like knitting or carpentry which took their full attention and focus. Not that I am against the mobile phone and its multitude of uses, just that we have to be careful not to get sucked into its power and most importantly we must teach our children to use it wisely, and to take time to ‘stand and stare’