Collect Distractions that Glitter

Folklore often tells tales of crows and magpies collecting shiny objects from unsuspecting people. According to Google, these reports are exaggerated, but it’s easy and fun to imagine a crow stealing a politician’s Rolex. While this behaviour may not be accurate for birds, it certainly happens with humans. We are constantly getting distracted by something.

Have you ever started a project at home, like mowing the grass? You get the mower, only to find the bag still full from the last time you cut the grass. It’s now a musty mess, so you clean out the bag. As you get the mower outside, you realize there’s no gas, so off you go with the fuel tank in hand. Being efficient, you decide to fill the car while you’re at it, but you accidentally spill fuel on the paint—drat. You rush through the car wash to clean it off. The car looks “fine,” so you head back home to mow the grass. But as you pull into the driveway, your friend is there, waiting to talk after a lousy week. You grab a beer and sit with him in the garage. Before you know it, the familiar golden glow of the setting sun is upon you. You might chastise yourself for not getting the grass mowed, but you did accomplish something—you were there for a friend when they needed you most.

While helping a friend at her fly-in fishing resort this year, we often laughed when we didn’t complete a task, saying, “We saw something shiny,” as an excuse for getting distracted. We judged it as a bad thing, but why is it wrong to stop and look up at the northern lights on the way to make a cup of coffee? Or to pad down to the dock in pyjamas to watch the full supermoon’s beams glisten on the water like diamonds, lighting up the world with its silvery glow? We lay on the dock, watching storm clouds form in grand towers of wrath before running indoors just as they unleash their tremendous rage.

Life is full of distractions, and how we react to them is our choice. We can chastise ourselves for them, but in reality, they’re often beyond our control. They accumulate and, one after another, can tax the soul and overshadow our accomplishments. So, how do we find balance? With patience, we can release the regret of following those shiny moments that catch our breath. Collect as many heart-glittering, soul-shaking moments as you can. They will help you let go of those that annoy you and make you feel bad. Here’s to a life filled with glitter and sparkle, brightening your every day.