In August Rob and I made a flying visit to Edinburg to do some “work” at the fringe with the Methodist church. Our job was to pay attention! A simple task.
Well! If you have been to the fringe you will know it is an assault on the senses. Posters, flyers, people, entertainment, jugglers, comedians, musicals, giveaways, noise and so much more. It can be hard to focus. Hard to cut through the rubbish (in more ways than one as there was a strike on and no bins were being emptied).
Paying attention involved trying to see what was there and what wasn’t. Noticing the small things as well as the big things. It meant hearing different voices and seeing things through different eyes. It also meant asking question and trying to find the answers to them.
So we walked, talked, watched shows, took flyers from performers, took photos of everything, asked questions, drank coffee and beer, ate food, jumped on buses, trams and trains, prayed, and lots of other things alongside these.
As I have come back I have continued to reflect on that time. I have also wondered what it looks like for us to pay attention where we live. On familiar streets in familiar places with familiar people it can be easy to stop noticing, stop paying attention to what is happening around us. So some questions…
Questions
Have you got a story about a time when you have completely missed something because you weren’t paying attention?
On your way to the club tonight did you notice anything new or nothing at all?
Are there times when you find yourself more aware of your surroundings than others?
How can we get better at paying attention so that we see the needs around us as well as the opportunities to be involved in changing them for the better?
We are meeting at the Crescent Club at 7:30pm everyone is welcome. You will find us upstairs in the sea view lounge.
Has been a part of BeachcomberFX since his arrival in the North East in 2014. He is well travelled (at least in the UK) having lived in Manchester, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Southport, Doncaster, Berwick and Edinburgh. Supporter of Newcastle United, will watch any sport.