Just Look 2

This is a subject I will no doubt return to again and again. I do get a bee in my bonnet about this.

Earlier today I took Dexter for walkies out to the fields and woods near where we live. He has the time of his life sniffing around, digging holes, chasing sticks and every now and again chasing rabbits. I also take advantage of this hour or so to recharge my batteries, contemplate my navel and just generally chill out. I admit I take my phone with me but that’s just because it’s not unknown for Dexter to knock me over in his pursuit of a sniff and I take it with me “just in case”. While we were out we bumped into a woman we see from time to time when she walks her dog Dolce. As a change she decided to join us on our route as she normally walks her dog up to Castle hill and beyond while we tend to walk out into the fields and woods. Strangely, the mobile signal is far better out in the middle of nowhere than it is where I live and the woman I was walking with decided to take full advantage of this. (She shall remain nameless). She spent a large portion of our walk sending and replying to emails, she sent a few texts, made three work related phone calls and as far as I could tell was totally oblivious to everything around her. Our conversation was non-existent and I admit to getting a bit pissed off so Dexter and I made our excuses and headed off.

Harebell in flower months before it should be

During that period she didn’t notice a thing around her whereas I’d seen a number of things that had caught my eye because they were unusual. For a lot of people this is likely to be indescribably boring but I noted a number of plants in flower which when you consider it’s only February is remarkable in itself as these plants are not due to come into flower until April or later, there was a pheasant hiding in the undergrowth, a kestrel swooped on something in the fields and flew off with it. Dexter disturbed a field mouse which scrambled away under the ivy. There was all kinds of stuff going on and this woman just didn’t realise.

Wild primroses in flower in February

Why do people do this? It’s saturday, you’re walking your dog in some pretty amazing countryside and you spend all your time on the phone! What a total waste of some valuable down time. I know that many people lead busy lives but to my mind that is even more reason to take any opportunity to relax.

Look closely and you will see what I saw

I said this last time I wrote about this and I’ll keep on saying it. Give yourself a break. It’s all very well thinking you are constantly in touch but in reality you have lost touch. You have lost touch with whats going on around you and narrowing your focus like that effects all aspects of your life so for goodness sake when the chance to take a breather comes along, take it.

Enough of this for now.

Have a smashing day (turn your phone off)

More Dick soon