the Way of the Turtle

DISTRACTION
Friday, May 9, 2008

I walked to work this morning, having left the car at a shop to have the exhaust system repaired (no more noisy car soon!) I was expecting rain, but it actually turned out to be a very pleasant morning, cool with bits of sun barely peaking through the clouds.

If it wasn't so time consuming I'd walk more often... while I generally dislike the city, I do enjoy listening to the birds and looking at the trees and flowers. But between the extra 40 minutes a day walking would take and the fact that I'd have to leave 20-30 minutes earlier each morning, that's not likely to happen.

Today, as always, I was struck by all the folks out on the street who had headphones or a cell phone going. I just don't get it... I enjoy being aware of what's going on around me, and while I may not find much pleasure in the sound of traffic, there's almost always something natural to listen to. But sometimes I think I'm one of the few people actually listening... so many people are distracted by non-stop noise of their own making, whether yacking on a phone or listening to an MP3 player.

I just don't get it.

JMH