Distractions

You start unloading the dishwasher, when you hear the phone ring. Mid-conversation, the baby is about to pull your purse on top of herself, and you scoop her out of harms way - only to realize she now needs a diaper change. Then she's hungry, and finally you find yourself standing in the kitchen again wondering why the dishwasher is still full.

While that may be a common loop for parents, we all get distracted in other ways, too. One of my biggest distractions is reading. I can get so absorbed in a good book that I forget I'm reading, and I stop paying attention to and can even completely tune out everything going on around me. "What dishes?" "Sure, she can eat that day-old pasta on the floor." It's great on vacation, and not so great in the middle of a busy afternoon. During Lent, I tried to really control what I was reading, and it was one of the hardest (and most rewarding) Lenten sacrifices I've done. Every time I had the opportunity to read, I forced myself to do a liturgy of the hours or spiritual reading instead. It definitely felt a bit like forcing myself to eat my vegetables, but I felt much healthier afterwards.

Of course, post-Easter it was easy to let up. I have gotten absorbed into several good fiction books since then. But the experience was eye opening, and I keep coming back to it. The more spiritual reading I do, the more connected I feel to my faith. The more connected I feel, the easier it is to pray. The more I pray, the more I am able to live a life tuned to God's frequency. As much fun as the Easter season is, with its discounted chocolates and sunshine, I definitely need a little more Lent in my daily life!