In fact, it can leap, race, and prance in many different directions. I can keep focus, but sometimes distractions creep in. (I know I'm not alone!)
My friends and I refer to these as squirrel moments. Not, ironically, because squirrels are easily distracted - quite the opposite. But as dog people, we've watched our canine companions suddenly lose all focus as a squirrel runs past. Blurting out "squirrel!" is a claim of our loss of focus.
Squirrels, however, given their precarious positioning on the food chain, are normally quite attentive to their surroundings. The critter in the photo here (seen on a hike this weekend) was alert and responsive to the environment.
When humans walked past, s/he immobilised and watched them.
When I stopped to take a photo, said squirrel kept a close eye on me, and chittered as I took a step closer, finally relocating to a higher branch (and issuing me a derisive teeth chattering).
As other hikers came near with a dog, the sharp-eyed squirrel rapidly disappeared down the tree and into the woods, all thoughts of acorns replaced by survival instinct.
Squirrels know that being distracted can be dangerous; while we also apply such wisdom to aspects in our lives (like driving or cutting vegetables) we may not always consider our focus on less dangerous activities to be potentially problematic.
Worship and prayer, for example: these are aspects of our lives onto which we should be maintaining focus and attention. Admittedly, distractions happen even in the midst of prayer, but we are better in our faith and spirituality when we choose to return - and return, and return - to not only the specific of our prayers task but also reminded of the intention of our prayers and praise.
We are nourished by the regular focus to our spiritual practices, and we strengthen our souls as we extend the care to empty our minds of the world's distractions for a few moments, to connect with the timeless assurance of love and grace.
For myself, as one who acknowledges those moments of rapid inattention, perhaps the cry of "squirrel!" will shift from a joking statement of distraction to an invitation of focus, especially within the relationship with the divine.
Squirrel, indeed.
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