DiscernmentSample

Paying Attention

My son, pay attention to what I say… for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. - Proverbs 4:20-22

As a contributing editor to the newsletter of my parish, I was asked to do a quick interview with the Superior General of the parish congregation, on his recent visit to India from Rome. When I met him, I could sense the natural affinity that we humans are credited with and we connected instantaneously. His spiritual and leadership values exuded through his persona and my life was altered in some inexplicable way by the meeting!

This natural affinity that we possess and that is at the core of all meaningful relationships – with God and our fellow human beings – is however dwindling due to the allurement of technology and social media. Our innate ability to bind with others and forge deep connections through personal attention is being mindlessly exchanged for shallow and group interactions via technology and social media.

It is of this scenario that Kevin Kelly, the American author said, ‘The only factor that is scarce in a world of abundance is human attention’. The advancements in technology and the obsession with social media have together resulted in a scarcity of human attention towards our fellow human beings – and God. We read with eagerness all our WhatsApp forwards and the latest posts on social media, sidelining the people around us, depriving them – and God – of our attention. Our lives are driven by the virtual world and we don’t hear God’s voice in our fellow human beings.

Yet, Proverbs 4:20-22, cautions, My son, pay attention to what I say… for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.

Even as our world is evolving with advancement in technology, it is only when managers pay attention to their staff and customers, that they can build their business. Connecting, interacting and personally engaging are still the key factors for progress. Industrialist Henry Kaiser’s words are a reminder: ‘I make progress by having people around me who are smarter than I am – and listening to them. And I assume that everyone is smarter about something than I am’.

Lord, I pray that I may pay more attention to the people within my gaze rather than the smartphone in my palm. Amen