What do you focus on? There is a lot of “focus talk” in the world. I also love the word, but we have to focus on the right things. If I focus on making money, and not my family, then that is not good, correct? We even hear the term “laser focus”, hence the image. This implies an intense focus on something. I know I can hyper-focus on a work task, or my gardening, or even writing for this blog. There is nothing wrong with that, per se, but I must also not totally tune out the Realms of the Spirit (Great Reality), and the Outer Reality: you and the world around us. (See https://align-with-love.com/2026/04/14/the-theory-of-the-realms/)
In Star Wars Episode 1, ‘The Phantom Menace”, the Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn tells young Anikan Skywalker: “Your focus determines your reality.” You don’t have to be a Star Wars fan, or get into the whole plot, to just take the quote for what it is: a little bit of movie wisdom, that actually has profound implications.
What do you focus on?
I have been making this point in other ways. What we pay attention to, and what we notice, profoundly shapes how we respond to the world. As I wrote last week, my son and I had differing views of a rainy day. His led to him seeing the day as “cozy”, and mine had me seeing the day as an annoyance. He was happy, and I was cranky. How do you think we “showed up” to others that day? Was my son more pleasant, and I more irritable? (I do not really get this bugged about rain, but you get my point.)
Your focus really does determine a lot of how you see life. The Jedi’s were right, even if they are imaginary characters from a galaxy far, far away. So, change your focus. Stop seeing negativity everywhere. I know it is hard. If you live in America, you know there is much political disagreement, and frankly stark, and even angry disagreement, about how to view the very world we live in! America approaches it’s 250th Anniversary of being a country. It is worth celebrating, even if we have so many points of contention with one another.
We can choose to focus on our common history, the things we like about our country, and the good we can genuinely do in the world. Or, we can scapegoat the “other side”, find fault, and argue incessantly. Align with Love is not a political blog, nor is it Democrat or Republican. It is not even “American”, even if an American is writing it. Love transcends all of these “lines” we create. Love transcends all the delineations we make on paper and in our minds and hearts.
I choose to focus on Love.
Will you join me? Can you breathe, and be willing to hear the other person? Can you hear the religious or non-religious person? Can you hear that man or woman, or the child? Can you consider that regardless of what is the color of your skin, orientation, demographic, or location, you just want to be loved? I know this is hard–we have focused so long on our opinions, or the opinions of our “Group”, it is just easier to keep going. But where exactly are we going?
Focus on love. I know some will say that’s corny, or too simple. But is it? Could you honestly ask yourself: “How can I be a loving presence in this situation?” Being a loving presence is the subtitle of this blog. I stink at it many times–and so do you. But we can be better and do better. If you believe in any kind of Diety, you can ask for help. Even if you don’t believe, try asking anyway. Any movement, any step of belief, is very powerful.
I believe if we choose to focus on love, to align with it, we will be directed. Something will “show up” and work through us. Someone will help us. We will not be left as “orphans in the storm”. I know this to be true. You can dismiss me, or how I think, but I know love can transform our hearts, our relationships, our communities, and our world. Believe with me–know with me.
In the directedness, we can partner. We can partner with one another. I have already written at length about how we can begin to dialog about our respective egos, expectations and myths, and how that can transform our conversations, and get ourselves back to civility and kindness. Try it!
Focus on love–let God, or however you sense the “Beyond you”, re-align you. Let your perspective be realigned. If you don’t “sense” anything beyond you, let this blog be a source of inspiration. Let it be a “wakeup call” for your soul. Have some humility. Let the goofy accountant that keeps writing this stuff inspire you. Why not?
As you deal with others you are convinced are “wrong”, whether in facts, or morality, or both, listen. I have already written at length about how we don’t know everything, or all the factors making someone say or do what they do. We don’t always know why we are saying and doing whatever!
You can still love people and not agree with them. You can still have conversations with others, and you can “break bread” with others you may not like or agree with. Jesus did this. He eat with sinners, and tax collectors. (As an accountant, I am personally very grateful for that.) Just like now, no one liked taxes in 1st century Palestine! The Bible rolls these people together, as tax collectors in Jesus day were often fellow Jews who were collaborating with the Romans for profit. Which if you were a 1st century Jewish person under Roman occupation–a collaborator was a sinner. End of story. But Jesus ate with them, knowing it would rile his critics. (Matthew’s Gospel, 9:10-13)
I’m not saying you need to start with having your most hated enemy over for dinner, if you actually have one. But, can you start with not thinking ill of the neighbor, co-worker, or family member? Why add more negativity–why focus on how much you dislike so-and so? How much “airtime” do you give to some people in your thought life? You are actually giving yourself a double-whammy: Whatever they said or did, and then your stewing and ruminating on it! You have now added to the misery they may have caused. Why add to misery and aggravation? Why focus on it?
I could go on and on–and you know, Dear Reader, that I do. I probably need to be a far more ruthless editor of my posts.
“Your focus determines your reality…”
What will you focus on? What will you focus on in yourself, and in others? If you have any spiritual notions, will you focus on God? Will you focus on the Spirit’s flowing, blowing, and moving in the world? I know it doesn’t seem like it in so many areas of life, but the Spirit is still moving, shaping, and hovering. (See Genesis 1 in the Hebrew Scriptures.)
Focus on that. Your world will change, and for the better. I seem to recall the the Big Book of AA saying: “The more spiritual things you look for, the more spiritual things you will see.” (I can not now recover this quote–if someone can find it, please drop me a line.)
So, re-focus. Let your focus be realigned–realigned with love. This is the Way, as another Star Wars show says. *
*The Mandalorian, on Disney+
-Eric, the Wordsmith
BP32
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