WQ - Ooh, Look! Shiny!

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Yes, I realize that today is Saturday, but all the same, I'm participating in the Wednesday Quotes link-up hosted by Marsha at Always Write. When I finally was able to sit down and start looking at this week's prompts, it hit me - although my distractions haven't been the shiny things this week, "shiny" would be a good word from the list to focus on. Assuming I can focus at all, that is . . . 

I'd have a longer attention span if there won't so many shiny things. ~Darynda Jones

It's so easy to get distracted, isn't it? I don't remember now how long ago it was that Attention Deficit Disorder became a social buzzword, but it seems to me that now it's become the subject of running jokes about how almost all of us lack the ability to stay focused on what we're supposed to. I remember reading that only something like five percent of the population actually have ADD/ADHD, and I puzzled over that because I felt like every other family I knew claimed that at least one of their kids had it. How is that possible? I suppose they may or may not have been diagnosed with the disorder, but certainly society as whole is far more easily distracted with each passing day.

We are so distracted and focused on what's next, we can fail to see what is actually in front of us. ~Yungblud

 

Don't get seduced by the next shiny thing, because you'll get caught up chasing shiny things and that will keep you from addressing what you really need to accomplish. ~Joe Tripodi

It's true for me, and I think for many of us. We allow ourselves to be distracted by all the things, shiny and otherwise, because a lot of times we don't really want to focus. I would prefer to avoid or put off the hard work things, so I want to be distracted by the shiny things.

I procrastinate so much and I get distracted by anything. ~Zach Braff

Oh man, I get it, Zach. I do. I'm a procrastinator. I have time, I just don't spend it wisely. That is the story of this week, to a certain extent, and the story of my life!

Many of the shiny things that catch our eye are genuine precious metals and stones that bring beauty and value to our lives, but of course some are just cheap tinsel. Sparkly and fun for a little bit, but it doesn't last. And even the prettiest silver or gleaming chrome needs polishing in order to hold its shine.

A company shouldn't get addicted to being shiny, becasue shiny doesn't last. ~Jeff Bezos

So as I sit here, having spent my time collecting some shiny, interesting quotes, I remind myself that I need to balance the time spent on briefly fascinating sparkles with the time spent hunting and polishing the truly gleaming valuables in my life. A lesson I'm constantly re-learning.

Like a magpie, I am a scavenger of shiny things: fairy tales, dead languages, weird folk beliefs, fascinating religions, and more. ~ Laini Taylor

Writers are magpies by nature, always collecting shiny things, storing them away and looking for connections of things. ~John Connolly

I always seem to have a lot on my to-do list, and even more on my would-like-to-do list, and the lesson I've been trying to learn for most of my life is to not get so distracted by the things I'd like to do but aren't important that I don't actually do the things that are important. Part of the challenge is recognizing which things really do need my attention, and focus on those. Sometimes the doing doesn't need attention as much as the being.

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me."

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

~Luke 10:40-42~

The more completely we focus our attention on our Creator and Lord, the less chance there is of our being distracted by creatures. ~Saint Ignatius

My kitchen linoleum is so black and shiny that I waltz while I wait for the kettle to boil. This pleasure is for the old who live alone. ~Florida Scott-Maxwell

  

Wondering why my post about being distracted by shiny things is dotted with photos of flowers and a minion? That's because one of the other theme words was "yellow". And the minion was a very fun distraction to add!

Also there's no other way to end a post that has as any part of its theme the word "yellow" except with the song "Yellow". Plus I just like it. And I didn't want to risk being distracted by all the other things on YouTube while I searched.

Wednesday Quotes is hosted by Marsha at Always Write. This post will be linked at #WQ #33: Shiny/New/Reflective/Yellow

This post will also be linked  at the Sweet Tea & Friends Monthly Link-up Party hosted by Grace-Filled Moments.

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