I’ve always heard “keep your head down” as it
translates to a “stay out of trouble” sort of message. Keeping your head
down shows focus, right? Keeping your head down shows determination,
correct? What happens if you keep your head down too much? I’ve
been thinking about what we miss when our heads are down, deeply entrenched in
our phones, in our focus, and in our routine.
When we think “heads down” in the most literal
sense, I immediately think of many of us “head down” in our smart phones.
Monitoring social media and reading or responding to text messages or
emails. And we know what happens when we try to walk while head down in
our phones….
Aside from the funny moments of someone walking
into a pole or a fountain because they’re so transfixed by their phone, what
about what we’re missing when one or all are dialed into our phones at dinner
or other functions that typically depend on physical interaction?
As we go through our daily grind, our drive to/from
work often becomes so routine that we may not notice what seems obvious.
Recently, I showed someone a picture my husband took of a beautiful
bridge. The person asked where that was; I replied that it was right down
the street. On her next drive into work, she realized she had been
passing that bridge every day and had never noticed it. I know for me,
the drive in to work is a time for thinking and for resetting my brain (getting
ready for the workday or decompressing on the ride home). I can easily
find that I don’t remember the ride because I’m on autopilot. Wonder what
I’ve been missing on my daily drive…
Let’s face it, when running or hiking, it’s fairly
important to keep our heads down to watch our footing. Even when we focus on our footing, we still
stumble and fall. As important as it is
to keep good footing, it’s equally important to see and appreciate the beauty
around us.
This is not something I’m preaching about. Nosiree…I
have just become increasingly aware of how much I don’t want to miss. I don’t want to miss a beautiful stone bridge
on a New England Autumn day, great conversation over dinner with my husband or
friends, or the chance to hike a mountain in time to view a gorgeous sunset and
a super moon – while sharing hot cocoa at the summit with new friends.
Cheers!
Hi Lisa, I have been reading your blog for a while, but I don't think I have posted. I think it is very interesting that you just posted this at a time I have been really thinking about this. Today I went to a funeral for a lovely woman who died far too young- at 47. One of the things he said about her was that she was someone who "looked up." This thought struck me because the other day in the car, my 3 year old was trying to get my attention and I was playing a word game on my phone and he said very loudly, "Mommy, put your head up!" As I read your blog, I am getting the message loud and clear. It is time for me to focus on keeping my head up. Thanks for being the kick in the pants. I, too, love a good sunset, and nature and a walk and talk with friends, but I am pulled in every direction by my phone. I am ready to commit to keeping my head up. Beautiful post and reminder. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to comment Kelly! Your comment was equally beautiful and a reminder to me - that what we say matters and we should think carefully how we impact others. I was touched that this was something that resonated with you. Take care!
DeleteThis is one of the things I most cherish about running. Because of my slow pace, I get to see so many things that I never notice while driving by each day. Great post !
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Nothing better than what we see by foot/run :) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
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