Distractions…

like butterflies keep buzzing round my head…  Play the whole song, sound on!

So I have been pretty down in the last couple posts and generally not motivated to post.  I had a plan to write about my son, my visit to Hopkins, assisted suicide again…

Well, I’m not gonna.  I’m gonna have a sandwich!

The song was covered by someone because we listened to it in Spain on our long trips home, but I can’t remember other songs on that cd, and it bothers me.

The point here is to talk about good and bad distractions.

Bad, the kind that keep you from doing what you are supposed to do, make you procrastinate, keep you from work.  Like Facebook and YouTube and conversations about things not work-related.  Or the ones that keep you from praying, focusing on God, keeping you from family, the kind a visit to the confessional helps to refocus.  That’s where I am now.

But there are good distractions, did you know that?

Yup, there are worldly things that can distract and help us get to heaven.  And if this is heresy someone please tell me!

I guess I should explain my own situation.  As I have said, I’ve been a downer.  My thoughts and focus are on death, a lot of times.  Not my own, or I might be holier, but like abortion, assisted suicide, the death of cultures, death of nations, etc.  These are YUGE downers, no matter how positive you are about them.  If like me, you think too hard, you can get into a low Low.

Thus, distractions.  To focus the mind on something less serious, more frivolous, or of no actual import to the world.  Things like sports can be good distractions, or books, or activities, as long as we don’t replace what is Truly Important with them, as idols.  When we start skipping church for that sporting event or job or activity, is what I mean.

In my case, I like car racing, which generally happens on a Sunday.  I LOVE Formula 1, and I keep up with the news and technical updates all year long.  But on Sunday, it’s mass first.  No Formula 1 till after, and this means I may miss the race and have the results spoiled, but that is ok, because priorities.

But being that fan, having that distraction, allows me to be human.  I can bond with Jack over it, off with coworkers, etc.  Most of all, it removes the focus on downer things I may be obsessing over.  Gives the mind a respite, and with that rest can reengage with rested thought.

Activities are not bad.  They aren’t of the devil.  If we allow them to take over, yeah.  But these things are good in and of themselves because we have a body, and it isn’t evil.

So this weekend, while everyone is watching the Masters, Jack and I will be watching racing, and I won’t feel bad about it!