Focus - Live in The Moment!

I recall reading a statement suggesting wherever you are, whatever you are doing, be there 100 percent. Those words could not be more true than the story I will share with you.

Several summers ago I agreed to help good friends open their pool. Bob and Roseann Ostapovich had a beautiful pool and allowed me to bring my daughter and a friend there whenever they wanted to swim. Bob and Roseann would hide a key to the gate, so that we could swim in the pool even when they were not home. I remember bringing my daughter and one of her friends there a few times and they had so much fun!

So at the beginning of one summer season I was more than glad to help get the pool setup. This required skimming the leaves and small tree branches off of the pool cover and then removing the pool cover. I brought a pair of shorts and a tee shirt to work in and had planned to change at their house for the job. However, as soon as I arrived Roseann asked if I could run out and help Bob.

To make a long story short I dropped my work clothes on a chair and ran out to help Bob. While skimming leaves I saw a small frog jumping around on the pool cover. Before I knew it I was trying to capture the frog with the skimmer. I was paying too much attention to the frog and not enough attention to the fact that only a small part of the cover was resting on concrete and the balance of the cover was over the water! In other words, I was not focused on where I was or what I was doing! What do you think happened next? That's right; I took a wrong step and fell clothes and all into the pool! Bob ran over to help pull me out and we laughed uncontrollably. I stopped laughing when I realized I had my phone, a palm pilot, wallet, and keys in my pocket. Needless to say I had to replace both my phone and palm pilot. My data was backed up so I didn’t lose that and the contents in my wallet dried.

My point is we must always focus on the task at hand. That would include no texting while driving and other driving distractions. Otherwise, you might end up in a more serious predicament than just a splash in the pool! I can still hear the frog laughing!

Bob and Roseann (pictured above) have since moved to Arizona. As you can imagine we miss them.