I got this saying in a fortune cookie once:  "You give power to what you give attention to."  (I had to reword it for the title of this blog...I have an M.A. in Comparative Literature and ending a sentence with a preposition REALLY bothers me).

It's taking me a few years, but now I really get what that means.  And let me explain by telling you a story.

I know someone who is really particular about his cars.  REALLY particular.  He has special cleaners for the interior windows, dash, tires, and whitewalls.  He waxes and washes his cars regularly.  He researches gasoline and oils and puts very specific liquids into his cars to enhance their longevity and performance.  As a result of all this, his cars look great, run smoothly, and have excellent resale value.

This same person drinks a lot of beer and soda.  His diet consists primarily of breads, meats (including sausages), and cheese.  He takes blood pressure and cholesterol medication daily.  He admits to having a short temper and has a difficult time controlling his mood.

His cars get a lot of his attention, and thus his cars are a strong area in his life.  His body does not, and it shows in the number of medications he takes, his complaints about back pain, and his erratic mood swings.  His body is a weak area of his life.

Of course, this person would never ADMIT that his cars are more important to him than his body, but what do his actions say?

Our bodies are the vehicles that allow us to move about the world and enjoy our lives.  If we are playing with our children but are tired and our back hurts, isn't that experience with our children compromised?  Isn't my view of the world smaller if I don't have the energy to move around in it?

My question for myself, and for you is:  where do you put your attention?  If there is an area in your life that's important to you, give it your time and attention.  Tell me what happens!