In a parenting group on the theme of attention we explored the question, “What are you paying attention to (in yourself and the other) when you are interacting with another person (including your child)?” This led us to look into the phrase ‘paying attention.’ What do we mean by paying? The group reflected and discussed their ideas with one another.
One father shared that in Hebrew there is no phrase ‘paying attention’ or ‘giving attention’ the expression is sim lev which means “place your heart.” The whole group was deeply touched by this notion. Placing our heart. A contemplative sigh passed over us as we paused together and honored the beauty of placing our heart with another, placing our heart within ourselves, gifting the presence of our attention through the act of placing our heart.
Another parent then mentioned that when we genuinely give attention, it really is a gift. And in return you get the gift of seeing into the inner world of that other person, of better understanding them. It’s as if a ray of attention is like a light shining from our heart, reaching towards and making contact with another. And when the ray touches the other person, it is as if a little portal opens revealing something about the other person’s internal landscape.
We can nourish ourselves and others with the gift of placing our heart, giving our attention. And sometimes it can feel like our watering can is empty. We must be attuned to when we need to give attention to ourselves and when we need to give attention to the other people in our lives. What are you giving your attention to? What in your life needs your attention? How do you give the gift of your attention? Who do you give the gift of your attention to?
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