Sometimes You Have to Pet the Whale

One more comment from our discussion about overshadowing and not really being present for an event.

Bob on our Facebook group said, I’ve heard National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore say, pet the whale, put down the camera when you’re not getting a good shot and missing the live experience. And I just love that expression, pet the whale.

Oh, I love that too. That reminds me of a conversation I’ve had multiple times over the years with my son. I put it more baldly. I just say, be present. You’re here. This is what’s happening right now.

Yeah. Hello.

Yeah. This is the thing. We’re not waiting for something else. This is where we are right now. Be present.

Right. I mean, if you’ve got a whale in front of you, why do you have a camera or a phone in between you?

Figurative, though, right?

Yeah.

But yeah, but you’re here.

But there’s that famous quote, life is what happens when you’re making other plans, right?

And what are you doing on your phone?

You’re making other plans.

Right.

It is the phone. We keep picking on the phone as this whole book, but it’s not only the phone. It’s the conversation that distracts you, right? It’s also the reading the thing that is in your pocket, right? It’s worrying about the receipt and did they overcharge you? It’s thinking too hard about the next thing that you’re going to do. It’s all those things as well. It’s being distracted from the moment that is currently happening.

Right, right.

Yeah, actually, there is no past. There is no future. There’s just right now. Big wisdom.

Well, call us and we’ll give you some middle wisdom. 877-929-9673.