I suffer from a number of self-diagnosed maladies: "All-or-nothing" Syndrome, "Opposition-to-cleaning-toilets" Syndrome,and "Irrational-fear-of-bears" Syndrome to name just a few. I also suffer from a very common, yet dangerous ailment called "Tunnel-vision" Syndrome. The net effects are that I dial in on, and sometimes obsess on, one task or project and all else seems to be pushed to the back of my mind.
Sometimes I get "Tunnel-vision" in my daily life. I get so focused on keeping my home up, taking care of the family and all that is associated with it, that I don't thing of much else.
In D&C 25:10 The Lord tells Emma Smith: "And verily I say unto thee that thou should lay aside the things of this world, and seek for things of the better."
Of this, President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "I feel he was not telling Emma that she should not feel concerned about a place to live, food on her table, and clothing. He was saying to her that she should not be obsessed with these things as many of us are wont to be. He was telling her to get her thoughts on the higher things in life - the things of righteousness and goodness, matter of charity and love for others, and the things of eternity."
In a post on my other blog, My Dates with God, I wrote about the needful things -my testimony and my faith. That was over a year ago, and I still find that I struggle with the same thing- staying focused on the eternal while dealing with the earthly. I wish I could say that, since I understand the concept in theory, I have perfected it in reality, but that is not the case. I suppose that is part of enduring to the end- trying to live everyday the way we know we should.
While "Tunnel-vision" Syndrome is not a sin, it can keep our mind - and heart- distracted from the things that matter most, the things of eternity. It takes effort to keep you eyes to the sky and your feet on the ground without tripping. We can be so focused on the task at hand that we don't think about the "things of a better." For me, that is realizing that my home may not always look picture-perfect, I may not make gourmet meals every night (not even close!), and I might rarely have a day where my To-Do list was completed. And that is OK.
I wrote in my blog that the "laundry doesn't cry when it doesn't get folded." It's true- even when I had 5 loads piled on my bed a few weeks ago- not a tear from the towels, not a peep from the pants, not a whimper from the whites. I am learning through trial and error, that when I do keep my mind open to the things of eternity, when I allow the Spirit to lead me throughout the day, as I am taking care of the things of this world, I will find more purpose in life and more joy.
I might not accomplish all that I want to do in a day. But, hopefully, I will be able to do all that He wants me to do every day.
So.... I think I suffer from distraction vision. When I refelct upon my station, spacially speaking, and my proximity to Heavenly Father I cannot help but notice the chasm between us that puts the Grand Canyon to shame. It's this very topic that I was pondering when I read something King Benjamin said "I say unto you..that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace with one another - I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the begining, and is preserving you day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another - I say, if ye should serve him with ALL YOUR WHOLE SOULS, yet you would be UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS" Mosiah 2:20 21 I read this and think... "Hmm.... that's a little disconcerting. Even if I worked that hard, that "perfectly", everyday to serve him, I would still be found lacking" Then I read v. 22... "..all that he reqires of you is to keep his commandments" I think I can do that. I can't live them all to perfection, but some of them I can, and the rest I can work on.
ReplyDeleteThat's all we have to do, work at it. I want to make sure my tent is facing the Temple, and that I can hear the gospel, and that my children can hear the gospel. Then I act on the promises I made, and teach my children to do the same. All else is secondary..... ALL ELSE.