"Attention is a limited resource."
Creativity. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Creativity, according to Csikszentmihalyi, is dependent on a surplus of attention. The mastery of any field of creative work (music, theatre, dance, writing, etc.) demands prolonged periods of attention paid. This is, of course, why specialization has become so prevalent. The field of competition for our attention seems to be growing exponentially, and there's just not enough of us to go around.
I guess I wonder how we're going to keep doing it. Paying attention. Think about it: consider all the clamorings inside and outside, each vying for strict attention. Thoughts about the news (Why is that beheadings in particular hit me in the gut, as if this particular form of death were worse than others? What will be the impact on journalism now that bloggers have scored a direct hit on mainstream media, thanks to Dan Rather? How in God's name will peace ever come to the Middle East, or to Fundamentalist Anywhere?), about the arts (I still haven't seen Angels in America, in the theatre or on TV, and what is mass media culture doing to our understanding of nearly every layer of reality, and what is this enormous gap in artistic judgement and taste between Evangelical Christians and the rest of the humans on the planet?), about faith (If postmodernism is reshaping our thoughts about truth, what about the old ideas of truth do we hang onto? In the end, what is the nature of the giving up of self--in most conversations and studies, it sounds like everyone knows what they mean...am I the only one who's not sure? Or do I just not want to face it? Love your enemies...what?)
It goes on an on. Sleep wasn't easy last night. In between bouts of a rather bizarre dream that had me running around naked at a party (not a pretty sight) there was Morgan Le Fay (of Arthur fame), me trying to figure out the best possible structure to tell her story. What is her story, I wonder? And significant doses of attention go running out the door.
Hollywood. Willow sketch on evangelism. Friends, friends, and more friends. Working out with Daniel. Run get the milk...no, decide not to. A week for a major rewrite, program info for Canada, blog anything somebody might want to read, the family, a half hour behind already...you get the picture.
And lest you think I think mine's worse than yours, I'm sure it's not. That's not my point. So what's my point?
Stephen Covey talks of priorities. Everyone talks about mission. Rick Warren says purpose. And this is the massive gift of creativity God has given us...to choose our attention. We make our lives today, in freedom and in tension, knowing that every moment, possibilities are slipping through our fingers because this possibility, this one right here, this is the one we choose, saying no the myriad others.
What glorious, excruciating goodness!
Can anyone say, "God help us..."
7:14:20 AM 
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