Paying attention to things
Lessons on expanding the moment
In an extract of the poem Sometimes, Mary Oliver writes:
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
For the past six months, I’ve been collecting moments that astonish me, make me laugh, or lead me to ponder—and sharing them with my paid subscribers.
While I’ve long kept notes on my phone about things I’ve noticed, this more recent practice of telling about it has broadened my attention to the day. In searching for something to share, I have to be more awake. By being more awake, there is more to notice.
Even on days when it feels like nothing happens, there is always a small moment worth paying attention to: something I’ve overhead, something wise a friend has said, something I’ve observed, something I’ve bumped up against.
Such things have become a way to mark the day—this day has not been for nothing, because there is this to take from it.
It’s taught me that paying attention is never wasted. In fact, as Mary Oliver said, “to pay attention, this is our en…