PAY ATTENTION.

WE TRAVEL ALONG THIS ROAD OF LIFE OBLIVIOUS SOMETIMES, JUST REALLY IGNORANT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US.  WE WAKE UP, RUSH TO GO TO WORK, STRESS THE FUCK OUT, GET UPSET, AND THEN RUSH TO GET HOME, EAT, WATCH TELEVISION, AND GO TO SLEEP.  THIS VARIES FROM PERSON TO PERSON, BUT THE OVERALL TIMELINE IS PRETTY SIMILAR.  IT'S INTERESTING HOW MUCH WE SIMPLY JUST DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING AROUND US.  THEY SAY WE NEED TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT ACTION, BUT, IT'S BEEN REDUCED TO GREETING CARDS AND MOTIVATIONAL POSTERS.  IT HAS LOST IT'S MEANING.  I MEET PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, WHO ARE SIMPLY GOING THRU LIFE, WITHOUT ANY REAL EXPECTATIONS.  WHEN I SAY EXPECTATIONS, I DON'T MEAN WORKING OVERTIME, SO YOU CAN GET THAT NEW GADGET THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK.  WE GET LOST IN LIVING, THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO JUST SIMPLY LIVE.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT YOU PAID ATTENTION TO YOUR BREATHING?  DO YOU EVEN REALIZE HOW FASCINATING IT IS THAT YOU CAN BREATHE, AND IT IS SYSTEMATICALLY KEEPING YOU ALIVE?  OR, WHILE YOU'RE SITTING IN TRAFFIC, DOES IT EVER HIT YOU THAT SOMEONE INVENTED AN ENGINE AT ONE POINT, AND NOW WE HAVE ENDLESS VARIATIONS OF THEM?  DO YOU EVER SEE A KID AT THE GROCERY STORE AND THINK, DAMN EVERY ONE AT ONE POINT WAS THAT SMALL?  WE START OUT AS A SPEC AND EVOLVE INTO A FULLY GROWN PERSON IN A MATTER OF YEARS.  IT'S REALLY INTERESTING, WHEN YOU TAKE IT ALL IN, AND JUST OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU, AND EVEN BEYOND THAT THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN'T SEE.  THE PAST AND THE FUTURE, THE MICROSCOPIC, EVEN THE BLATANTLY OBVIOUS THAT YOU'VE BEEN IGNORING THE ENTIRE TIME.  IT'S A DAZZLING WORLD WE LIVE IN, AND YET WE GET CONSUMED BY MONEY, AND WORK, AND WHETHER OR NOT SO AND SO, FINDS US ATTRACTIVE, NEVER REALIZING THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T DIED YET IS A MIRACLE. 

SOMETIMES, WE GET SO CONSUMED THAT WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE AROUND US.  WE DON'T NOTICE THE GUY WHO'S BEEN TELLING US HE DOES OPEN MIC POETRY READINGS.  WE IGNORE THE GIRL, WHO IS TELLING US SHE IS STARTING A GARDEN AT HER HOUSE.  WE IGNORE THE FACT THERE ARE HUNGRY PEOPLE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO US.  WE IGNORE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO GET BY US, AND WE'RE IN THE WAY.  WE'VE BECOME SO CONSUMED, AND SOMETIMES SELFISH, THAT WE SIMPLY JUST DON'T NOTICE, OR EVEN CARE.  THAT SAME ELEMENT OF WONDER ON THE IDEA THAT YOUR EXISTENCE IS REALLY A ROLL OF THE DICE, EXISTS IN ALL MANKIND.  SO, THE PLAN THEN, IS TO TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED, UNTIL YOU RETIRE AND DIE?  THEN LOOK BACK AND SAY, OH I WISH I WOULD'VE TRULY LIVED. 

EVERYDAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY, TO PAY ATTENTION, TO YOUR OWN EXISTENCE, THE EXISTENCE OF THE WORLD IN GENERAL, AND THE EXISTENCE OF OTHERS.  IT'S LIKE A GIFT YOU OPEN AND PUT ON A SHELF, NEVER REALIZING HOW TRULY AWESOME ALL OF IT IS.  DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.  TAKE A MOMENT AND TRULY LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND NOT WAIT FOR THEM TO STOP TALKING SO YOU CAN TALK.  JUST SIT BACK AND WATCH THE WORLD AROUND YOU, AND REALLY CONSIDER IT ALL.  THIS CAN ADD VALUE TO YOUR LIFE, AND APPRECIATION.  ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PAY ATTENTION.   -  925