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“Hey are you paying attention?” That’s what was going through my mind as I was stopped in busy traffic. My thought was directed at a young lady absorbed in her all-important mobile device and oblivious to the car ahead of me that was attempting to pull up a driveway into a Kmart parking lot. When she finally looked up to see the motorist waiting for her to pass by — said motorist understandably did not wish to hit a pedestrian — she threw her hands up in the air as if to say, “I didn’t see you.”

And I’m left wondering, “How is it someone walking along a busy public sidewalk doesn’t notice a two-ton vehicle about to come into their path?”

We hear a lot about the dangers of distracted driving today, but what about distracted walking? Indeed, it does exist. According to a press release from the Governors Highway Safety Association, “distracted driving and walking are contributing increasingly to pedestrian injuries and fatalities.” (GHSA.org) More than 2,000 pedestrians were killed in the first six months of 2014, in case you were wondering.

This incident leads me to ponder to the broader idea of paying attention. Are you paying attention — to your health, your life, your family, your job? I feel many people are just not paying attention. Whether it’s the misspelled words I see come up on the local newscasts, or the incident described here, it seems that simply paying attention to what you’re doing at the moment is at a premium.

I have more to say about this. Stay tuned.
– Sue Voyles