10/20/2026
The Art of Paying Attention
About three or four years ago, I was sitting in a breakfast restaurant, waiting for my usual eggs over medium, bacon, and home fries.
It was raining outside, and somewhere in a conversation about breakfast, umbrellas, and the weather, I said something absolutely brilliant.
The person I was having breakfast with said, "Oh my God, that would make such a fantastic title for a book!"
And I said, "I know, right?"
And do you think I can remember what I said?
Not a chance.
To this day, that lost little piece of genius haunts me.
Now that my writing has become more serious, I'm learning something rather important: write it down!
Those clever little observations, funny remarks, unexpected thoughts, and snippets of conversation have a way of disappearing almost as quickly as they arrive.
I've been reading Stephen King's On Writing and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, learning about the craft and discovering the value of collecting ideas, keeping notes, and paying attention to the world around me.
But something else is happening.
I've always been an observant person. What's changing is what I do with those observations.
I'm learning to listen more carefully.
To ask another question instead of offering an immediate opinion.
To look beyond what someone is saying and become curious about what might be behind their words.
I'm discovering how interesting life becomes when I step back and allow someone else to tell their story.
Maybe becoming a better writer isn't just about learning how to arrange words on a page.
Maybe it's about becoming a better listener, a more curious observer, and recognizing that sometimes the most interesting thing we can contribute to a conversation isn't another story.
It's another question.
And as for that brilliant breakfast remark?
It's probably gone forever.
But you can bet I've got somewhere to write down the next one.
This week, try listening to someone without immediately offering an opinion, advice, or a story of your own. Ask one more question. You might be surprised by what you discover.
