focus

i must admit as a kid i had fun playing with my friends. we played hard and we were serious about our funtime. when i arrived home after school i would do my homework and change out of my school clothes into my play clothes and dart outside for fun and games. this went on for sixteen years and it was a good time i must admit. and i was bright enough that for the most part i did not have to study to pass my exams and courses. i retained enough from our lessons to do well in school. this may be a wonderful gift, in connection for the most part i never really studied before university. so i never really developed the habit of focusing on any one or two things. i like this picture of a girl being still and reading. not that i think a childhood should be all work and no play. not at all. but some planning, plotting and focus i think would have served me well for responsibilities and endeavors in the future. if i could speak to myself when i was say oh... ten years old i might write a letter that looks something like...

dear audrey,

you have a gift darling, you are incredibly smart and bright. how fun and wonderful. and i understand that you are having fun with your friends in and out of school. it's great that you're having such a good time. tell me some of the games you girls and boys are playing. what are some of your favorites?

i see as well that you like school and that you are doing incredibly well. congratualtions! this is wonderful. at the end of the school year, would it be alright with you if we went and had a little celebration? we could talk about some of the things that you like to do, and i could add a few suggestions to give you some new ideas and then we can celebrate you.

what are some of the things that interest you in school? tell me about how you love reading, and how you love your english classes. the reason i am asking you these questions is because i think it could be a wonderful idea if we spend a little more time on your school work and the subjects that you love. we can begin to learn the habit of focus and all the wonderful things that come from focus. it is not as much of a drag as you think it is. when you do something you love after a while it becomes a pleasure to do these things, even if it is hard work. and this will be a good habit to begin to form as it will serve you well when you are a big girl. you can focus on something and with your ability you will be able to do it really well. without focus and effort a good outcome is difficult to achieve. so we will talk about these things.

enjoy your funtime and your schooltime and i'll talk to you soon.

lots of love,
me years later

....
hmmm how interesting as i was writing this letter. thinking how i always begin many things and i don't finish. i am talking to myself these days about focus, and trying to learn a new habit.

i like very much your comments from the previous posts. i have responded with how your words struck me. are you good at focusing, beginning something and completing it? is there something that you wish that you could do well, or do well at enjoying:)? i wrote before how juliette binoche has begun to take dance lessons at the age of 44. how darling! i love this, doing something, committing to something that we enjoy... no matter what the age. i think too when we are doing that thing that we love, we are ageless.

cool and rainy here in nyc. the u.s. open matches are on pause as i have been enjoying watching them. here now with hot tea, cool music and writing... i hope you have a wonderful weekend. i'll definitely be popping in to see what you are up to...

sending weekend hugs!