Baseball Scorekeeping and the Art of Paying Attention
“Zen pretty much comes down to three things — everything changes; everything is connected; pay attention.” — Jane Hirshfield
Ever since the pandemic started, it has become increasingly difficult to pay attention in an undivided way. We have Twitter doomscrolling, constant social media notifications and updates, phones on us at all times waiting to be checked. The art of single-focused concentration has become more and more elusive. Yet, we often seek ways to increase our mindfulness, focus, and productivity devoid of the distractions of technology.
Zen Buddhism teaches us to focus on the present moment. “Present moment, wonderful moment,” instructs Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.
“Chop wood, carry water,” is an ancient Zen saying for focusing on one’s wok at hand, no matter how mundane.
Baseball Scorekeeping and Paying Attention
The timeless art of scoring a baseball game connects to this phenomenon of slowing down, paying attention, and being mindful of the details.
Like Hirshfield’s quote, scoring a baseball game requires you to become aware of the changes, both subtle and dramatic, that occur during the baseball game…
