Magnifying Glass
Kids today are very sophisticated and somewhat spoiled. It takes a lot to
excite and entertain them. When I was young a boy with a magnifying glass
was the center of attraction. He would gather his friends, get a piece of
paper and focus the beam of bright sunlight through the looking glass until
it was concentrated on one tiny spot. Seconds later the paper would start
to burn and his friends would shower him with accolades as if he had just
hit a game winning home run.
The boy's great feat was really not so difficult. It was merely a matter of
concentration of the power of the sun to one spot. One of the problems many
of us have is that with the multitude of ''time-saving'' devices and our
multi-task responsibilities we can't focus our energy on the ''spot'' where
it will be most effective. The effect is that we begin to pile up a list of
''unfinished business'' and incomplete projects until our ''to do'' list
becomes overwhelming and meaningless.
The trick to success is to focus your limitless energy on the task at hand.
When you are reading you shouldn't listen to the radio and when you are
eating you should not be reading. Whenever you are involved in something
do" IT" to the exclusion of all other distractions that come your way. Turn
off our electronic interrupters when praying, working on a project or
having a serious conversation.
Today, when you are involved n something and an ''intruder' tries to
interrupt--stop. Finish what you're doing--do it well and then you can
attend to something else. It is only a matter of focus but it will unleash
powers that will enhance your success rate day after day.
DID YOU KNOW THAT
It is a Misvah to run when going to synagogue, and to perform other
Misvot--even on Shabbat when it is forbidden to run. One should not stop on
the way to synagogue to "chat" with a friend about personal matters.
Conversely. one should not leave the synagogue in a rush which would
indicate that staying in shul is a burden.
[Source Yalkut Yosef siman 90,
paragraph 17]
CONSIDER THIS FOR A MINUTE
Until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change, we
will never change.
Avi Shulman
Text Copyright © 2003 Rabbi Raymond Beyda and Project Genesis, Inc.
