Focus

     I walk down the busy street, my eyes fixed on the pavement below me. I observe each crack and crevice as I pass them by. Subconsciously, I adjust my stride to avoid stepping on the approaching crack. I stop and wipe away the sweat that trickles down my forehead. My eyes scan the street before resting on the reflective wall of the building directly to my right. I stop for a minute and study my reflection. The people around me continue to push and shove their way down the street, to join the mass of people waiting at the edge of the sidewalk. I look around in hopes of finding somewhere to stop and catch my breath. The sun peeks out from behind a building a few blocks down the street. I quickly shield my eyes and turn away. My head is crowded with the distant sound of children screaming, car horns, and mindless chatter around me. I rub my hands over my temples, trying desperately to make the noises stop. Strangers continue to shove and push from all directions. I raise my eyes once again to see my reflection staring back at me. Everything is much softer in the reflection that I see of the street. The cars all seem to combine to create a parade of colors speeding down the street. People simply become blurs passing by. The sun hides the top of the buildings that loom over the streets below. I slow down my breathing and watch the clouds that cross the sky. In that moment I realize we all need something to focus on. Something to save us from the chaos of the world around us. Something that can stop everything even if it's just for a minute so that you can catch your breath. So find that something, and when you do, never let it go.
                                                                                ~ Written by Katie