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Sherlock's Mindfulness

I want to comment on something I have been noticing recently that has to do with the negative side of our quickly-changing, flashing, twenty first century world.  A lot of the young generation today is adopting new gadgets and widgets at an alarming rate.  We have TV 's and phones, net books and tablets, and TV's on our phones; and all that surrounded by constant updates, flashy news, and so on.  We have gotten used to watching TV while checking our e-mail, and talking on the phone while scrolling through Facebook.  We have gotten so used to it that we are loosing the ability to do one thing at once.  We have trouble focusing our minds on one thing.  We are easily distracted and we are always looking for some toy to play with.  We can no longer sit through a family dinner without checking Facebook.  Or sit though a school lecture without checking the news.  It won't be long until we start playing Angry Birds while having sex.

A news report recently highlighted a new book that concerned Sherlock Holmes.  The book spoke of a characteristic that separated Holmes from other people: mindfulness.  Mindfulness is the ability to focus on the present, to focus on a task without being distracted.  It is the quality that allows one to experience things fully, and understand and appreciate their entire message.  Perhaps this is what we are losing.  Perhaps we are allowing our new world to take control of us, and are shedding the qualities of our own heroes.