This morning, I sat down to write, but my screen was full.
Fifteen tabs open on my laptop.
Three apps running on my phone.
Messages waiting.
Notifications flashing.
A to-do list whispering from somewhere in the background.
It felt… normal.
But it also felt heavy.
A bit chaotic.
Too many windows open.
Not just digitally.
Mentally.
Emotionally.
We live with this constant hum of multitasking, of being available, of trying to stay caught up. But what are we actually catching?
Half-thoughts.
Split attention.
Shallow breath.
Moments missed.
I decided to close all the tabs, leave my phone on the nightstand, and take a walk on the beach.
No tabs.
No tasks.
No message alerts.
Just the ocean, wide and open and full of everything we’re usually too distracted to see.
The way the sunlight dances on the waves.
Birds gliding across the glass-like surface, their shadows reflecting their movements.
A beautiful shell wedged perfectly between the grains of sand.
The sound of my own footsteps.
The taste of salt in the air.
This is the window that should be on top.
Not the ones blinking on my screen. But this one, right in front of me with an open sky, open sea, and open presence.
We say we want to be more present, but we live with our focus fractured.
We eat meals while checking messages.
We listen halfway.
We rush through beauty without even letting it reach us.
We look down more than we look up.
But here’s the truth.
You get to close the windows.
You get to choose presence over performance.
You get to look someone in the eyes and really see them.
You get to breathe deeper, taste slower, listen longer.
The ocean doesn’t rush.
It never has too many tabs open.
It just is present.
So today, I’m closing some windows.
And I’m walking toward the ones that matter.
“Close the windows that distract you. Open the one that leads you back to life.” – Patti Jewel
Just Keep Walking. Step with Love. Always forward.
