Focus your Vision

 

In eight years of overnight scout camps, it hasn’t changed. Hours before departure, my son was trying desperately not to forget anything, and I was trying to be helpful.

Knife?

Deodorant?

Glasses?

“Eh, I don’t need my glasses at camp.” He’s slightly nearsighted, so glasses are usually reserved for school-related activities and driving. I knew he was pursuing a rifle shooting badge, and mentioned his glasses might be helpful in that activity. He reluctantly agreed and tucked them in a case and zipped them into a side pocket of his pack.

Two days later, he was showing me the hole-riddled paper targets that demonstrated his success. He somewhat sheepishly admitted he tried to shoot on the first day without his glasses and was much more accurate when he wore them the next day.

It reminded me how we sometimes spend a lot of energy trying to get things done but wonder why we don’t feel “successful.” For many things, it may be as simple as taking the time to focus on your target, like glasses focus your vision. We can keep “shooting” in the general direction, but if we’re not sure where the target is, we’ll spend a lot of energy and still come up short.