One of my biggest realizations was understanding how many people are not getting enough attention in their lives.  When I taught junior high and high school I realized the need to give attention to kids, but as I progress through life I realize that need continues. 

There are those of us who have family members who provide the needed attention that keeps us fueled.  Others do not have that support network.  For those of us who have a large circle of friends and family, this may seem like a foreign concept; but numerous people are starving for attention. 

The type of attention that I am writing about is a form that makes people feel important, special, included, thought about, and loved.  I am not suggesting an overabundance of attention, but a sincere healthy amount using good judgment. 

Some people are starving for attention and one would never know.  They appear to have friends, family, and people who care about them, but sometimes that is not the truth.  You can be deprived of attention when you are alone and the same can be true when you are around people.  You can be homeless and lacking attention.  You can be wealthy and be starving for attention.   

The wonderful thing about attention is that it is like a smile, it does not cost anything to give away.  It is a choice you make.  A choice to take the time to make someone feel noticed.  It is a choice to engage in a conversation, open a door for someone, or make them feel appreciated. 

If you have ever owned a friendly dog you know every time you walk in the door what it is like to receive an abundance of attention.  Some people get annoyed and do not give the dog attention in return.  I make a conscious effort to be grateful that our dog is happy to see us and that she loves it when we are around.  Every time I walk in and our dog is going crazy at my feet I make a point of giving her a few seconds of appreciation. It is important to recognize with people and animals that giving and receiving a reasonable amount of attention is an important part of our existence.   

As a young teacher, I thought about how nice it would be to “bottle” attention.  Something you could go and buy at the local store when you were not receiving a sufficient amount.  The reason I thought of this was that when I engaged with my students who were teenage mothers, the common thought was that they wanted something to care about and someone who cared about them. They simply wanted attention.  Not an overwhelming amount of attention, they simply wanted to be noticed.  Unfortunately, lack of attention/love often leads people down difficult paths. 

Be grateful to God if you are fortunate enough to have a satisfying amount of attention/love in your life.  If you are in a situation where attention is lacking in your life, pray for an opportunity to be around people who know how to give and receive attention.  Welcome attention to your life.  Be open to receiving attention and be open to changing the way you give attention if currently, it is not working for you. 

I love the idea of bottling attention, having the ability to go out and retrieve what you need when you need it.  However, attention is there for all of us to give; be generous, be kind, and make someone feel special as often as you can.  If all of us are giving our attention/love then there would be no need for any “bottling”. 

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