Spaced Out; Lost in Thought - Gone...Fishing...Otherwise abZorbed (?!)

Pandemic Passive Past-times: What we have all done to pass the time during the past year-and-half now, including how we have engaged our minds and imaginations to take us places when we couldn't. From momentary musings to deliberate, deep thinking about where we desire to go, planning to go when this thing is completely over and access to all these places is once again available to all. In the meantime...

From A to Z: Attention! to Zorb, that is. When I discuss the characteristics of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the key feature being attention problems whether or not hyperactivity is present), I share the reality we can all relate to, the fact that we all have moments when we are 'spaced out', distracted, our attention otherwise occupied, so that we may find ourselves reading a paragraph over and over...because, despite being able to pronounce each word, we did not absorb them. And we can certainly all recall times where we find ourselves trying to find a graceful way to get someone to repeat what they said, due to the fact that we heard every word, but the message just didn't sink in; it somehow got lost while I was lost, elsewhere in thought...So where did the information go, off into cyberspace? More importantly, where did you/I go while the other was speaking their mind? A question I often ask children, teens, and even adults while investigating the degree to which the concentration-attention problems are plaguing daily communication, at home and abroad. I also suggest to parents in particular that, while being perplexed with their youngster or oldster, they may actually also be experiencing a tinge of jealousy, envy, some combination. For the person that seems to be quite content, at least for the moment, while we ourselves are agitating. I've had lots of answers, both literal (e.g., "I was thinking about a video game or a Christmas present I want....plans I'm making with my friends") to the more abstract, which might be best represented by a boy about two years ago, when I inquired, in the presence of his parents, "So, where did you go when your parents or teacher were trying to get you to listen...?" To which he responded, as if rehearsed, "Zorb" He even produced a few drawings of this magical, made-up place, a land of make believe, kind of what we all learned to do when we allowed our imaginations to run wild, unleash our inner child. His parents and I readily agreed we'd like to join him. And then sought to strike a balance between engaging the boy's imagination while also gaining his attention as needed; it became all all about time and place...so where do you go to escape, whether it's to quietly disengage while getting lectured (think Charlie Brown and his teacher), or to whisk yourself away when you can't, due to circumstances?

Zorbing: Also a verb, is a real 'thing' -- if you watch videos of people getting into these spheres, who subject themselves to rolling down an incline, you'll see why sustaining focus immediately after is a bit of an issue; anyone under these conditions are more likely than not to have an ADHD moment, perhaps two...