My life took me to Cub River the other day, 'twas a soggy, wet, snowy day. Driving took concentration with all the slush on the pavement pulling the car one way or the other. I rounded a curve and slowed even more. Ahead was a long column of turkeys that were just beginning to cross to the upper side.
My approach did not disturb these birds in the slightest. Single file, they kept advancing, one by one, not one feather ruffled, as they marched through the slush. I stopped and waited while twenty-four of Cub River’s finest large feathered friends finished the crossing. Only one appeared to have felt a bit nervous, jumping sideways and lifting a wing.
This single-mindedness made me remember that my aunt used to describe her daughter, along with myself, as being “one track minded.” This was not said in a complimentary fashion. My aunt was not happy with our being intent on carrying out whatever had caused her comment. Now, as an adult, I realize that this being on one track mentally is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is it always a good thing. It all depends on what is on that track.
Those turkeys were nearly oblivious to me and had I been so inclined I might have been a threatening force to their very existence. (However I know it is not easy to run over these birds.) We often go through our days rather oblivious to our surroundings, we block out any mental disturbance. Sometimes we are so certain that what we have in mind is the most important thing, the most correct. Does our single-mindedness cause us to miss worthwhile opportunities that might intersect our path?
At the same time, this same mental quality of staying on course is what helps us to accomplish much. If we bounce around, rubber-ball style, at the end of the day we usually feel we come up short of our goals that we set as the day began.
Seems to me we need a flexible one-track mind. Is there such a thing?
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