There is a continuum of attention

 Aa few days ago, I found myself walking near sunset.  The view was impressive and I stopped to take a memory picture). Once I was happy, I continued.  But then I turned around and noticed two people on the opposite side of the path from me. They were standing with their arms around each other's shoulders just watching the sun set.

 It really hit me at a deep level. I saw as sunset not event but not important, and was content to move on. They were actually watching the SUN SET as an event that was important..

I was celebrating the sunset (as a thing) they were participating in the setting of the sun (as an event).

It made me think there's a continuum of attention.

• Unaware - like most of the people walking past the sunset, not giving it a second glance.
• Appreciating - like the man who saw me take my picture, looked at the sunset and smiled as he kept walkin 
• Celebrating - like I was doing by stopping to take a picture
• Participating - like the couple was doing.

Now I want you to think for a moment about your relationships and this continuum of attention.

Maybe you never really think about occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and mother's/father's day.

Maybe you appreciate the people in your life, but you're often too busy to do anything about it.

Maybe you celebrate them by getting them a card and/or gift on the special days

Maybe you make time to actually include them in your life and to participate more deeply in theirs.

(Of course, every relationship is different and I'm not trying to tell you what you should be doing - I just want you to think about it.)

So back to the sunset... once I realized that these people were just standing there watching the sun go down, I turned and did the same.

It only took a few minutes before the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the sunrise and sunset happen and it always makes me think about how quickly time is passing. And of course, that makes me think.  The next time a thing happens to you can you think of it as an event?