This morning I was thinking how fun it would be to be a millionaire. When it comes to physical resources, I don't have a lot of money to give away. It would be great to respond to every person begging with a handwritten cardboard sign. Instead, I often look away and pay attention to something else-I guess to ease my guilt for not giving some cash to those in need. How we choose to spend our money says so much about who we really are. But today, I'm thinking about something I have in great abundance-attention. It's a currency of sorts-and people need it, want it, and seek after it. In some situations, it's even more desirable than cash. It's fun to think of myself like an "attention millionaire" and can spend my unlimited resource on whatever I want. It reminds me of a quote from the movie, "Now You See Me" where he explains the job of a illusionist/magician is "to take the most precious of gifts you give me-your attention-and use it against you." Is our attention really one of the most "precious gifts" we give others? Or is money the preferable currency?
In some situations, throwing money at someone is completely useless, powerless, inappropriate- even offensive. Whereas the giving of attention can not only be one of the first things I do, the only thing I can do, the most appropriate, and at times the most sacred of things to offer. Yet most of the time, I carelessly throw this resource around (like a idiot with a wad of cash to burn). There's always more where that came from-it's so plentiful and accessible-It's easy to waste on the most trivial of matters. Everyone seems to clamoring for it anyway-as evidenced by annoying pop-up adds, spam, or people dancing around spinning their pizza signs. It's easy to just react instead of proactively choose what to pay attention to. I'd like to give my attention as a free will offering, instead of having it taken forcefully, like a gunman yelling at me demanding money.
Giving attention to someone can be a simple or grand gesture. It takes a conscious effort -to go out of my way and take a minute to look at someone- to smile at someone-to talk to someone-to just physically sit with someone-or show up. It's not always comfortable that's for sure. It's easy to feel stupid and not know what to do. I felt that way when I looked at a handsome single guy and smiled. That's attention. Or when I struck up a conversation with a stranger. That's attention. Or taking 2 seconds to write "Happy Birthday" on someone's Facebook wall. That's attention. Some people require more attention than others. It can be exhausting giving attention because it expends energy. This energy goes out of me, yet this exchange can also be reciprocal and energizing.
Last Sunday our bishop joined with other ecclesiastic leaders to attend the meetings of a fellow bishop who was killed in a plane crash with his wife and some of his children. I pictured all the priesthood brethren doing their best to minister and bolster support for the children left behind. Not just the newly created orphans but the also the ward member "children" left behind-who would care for this little flock now? This image of priesthood support in my mind was brought to life during the meeting as I watched a large gathering of men surround a little baby dressed in white as an emotional father gave him a blessing. He referred to him not only as his son, but as God's little one.
As I sat contemplating these images, another image came into my mind- actually one of the most moving stories in the Book of Mormon during the visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas. Jesus tells the multitude to "Behold Your Little Ones" as beings with authority, ministering angels, surround the little children "and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them." (3 Nephi 17:11) If ever there was an outpouring of heavenly attention or celestial energy-then this is it. It was like attention raining down from heaven. What a beautiful gift.
Contrast that with the scene in the movie, "Now You See Me" when money rains down in the arena over the frenzied crowd. Yes, money is something we'd all like more of and is always appreciated. It would be great to just throw it around and give and give and give until it hurts. However I need to remember I already have abundance of attention to spread around to bless the lives of God's little children everywhere.
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