On Targeted Focus

I close 2024 with a bang, literally. I tripped over a wheel stop in the shopping centre carpark, falling face-first and hitting my forehead on the hard surface. The weight of my backpack exacerbated the fall, and the loud thud sent my husband into a tizzy. I heard panic in his voice as he tried to pull me up.

Sometimes, the sound is louder than the impact. Even with a sizeable bump on my forehead that hasn’t fully disappeared, there was no need for an ambulance. The injury wasn’t severe. I simply sat down to regain composure while applying a pack of frozen peas to reduce the swelling

An image of the culprit: a wheel stop / parking bumper

After easing my husband’s concerns about a possible concussion, we proceeded to our accommodation. And I spent the whole day resting, as we decided to cancel our sightseeing plans. We could talk about poorly designed spaces, and places where pedestrian safety is clearly not a priority. My focus, however, is on the significance of that incident, not to blame designers or architects.

Because there’s always something bigger than me

We were winding down our trip in Thailand and getting ready to head home in time for New Year’s celebrations. Sporting a gigantic bump on my forehead felt like the universe was having a good laugh at me: You think you’ve got your word for 2025 figured out? Focus on what is right in front of you!

An image of a forest in winter

I’d been quite pleased with choosing “responsibility” as my word for the year. It stemmed from a desire to let go of a strained familial relationship that had weighed on me. I’d finally accepted I’ll never get an apology. Hence, taking responsibility for my feelings and actions made sense and was the way to go for me this year. Taking responsibility for one’s own actions is still important, if you ask me.

Anyway, my fall highlighted a few things: the importance of focusing on things within my view and surroundings, appreciate my support system and take time to rest.

Because there’s only so much we can do

The world voted in 2024, and some predicted a post-election hangover in 2025. The sheer volume of international issues, coupled with new leadership and policies, creates a sense of overwhelm. Where does one start? Which cause to fight for?

You’re not required to save the world with your creativity. Your art not only doesn’t have to be original, in other words, it also doesn’t have to be important.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

I’m not advocating for an “all-or-nothing” approach. But I’m simply suggesting that we adjust our focus and attempt what’s within our capabilities, rather than spreading our efforts thin. Activism is super important, because it provides us with a sense of agency and connectedness. However, we can only do so much.

I also suspect noise pollution, with digital gravel slung in all directions and the messaging on how we are not doing enough, doing it wrong, etc., will reach a new high. So, I’ll share a poem by Hanif Abdurraqib, How Can Black People Write About Flowers at a Time Like This, I return to repeatedly when I feel the pressure to write about serious matters rather than the seemingly frivolous pursuit of beauty.

Because small can be part of the whole

Did you know that skiing demands more than just fitness? Yes, that’s right; skiing requires more body awareness, mental focus, and the right equipment. However, even with the small percentage of fitness required, one couldn’t just pick up the skis and sail downhill. You still need to be strong and flexible to enjoy it, and not injure yourself.

I believe incorporating this mix into our daily lives could prove helpful. That is, periodically, check in with ourselves and ask, “Do I need a break? Am I focusing on what matters? Is my current equipment still suitable for the task?”

Writing is part of my essential equipment. Yours might differ, but the idea is the same. So, we can use what we already have, no matter how insignificant it might seem, and keep contributing what we can to the ongoing discourse.

An AI-generated image depicting a woman skiing downhill

Anyway, this is a long way of arriving at my word, focus, for 2025. But here am I, trying to focus on what is, not what if. Perhaps, like a skier on a slope, by concentrating on our surroundings, adjusting to changes, and filtering out distractions, we can maintain our sanity during these unpredictable times.

PS. You can read this article, The world in 2025, to learn about issues shaping international agenda this year.

PPS. Feature image taken at Levi Ski Resort.

UPDATE: My website has been down (inaccessible) for an entire week due to web hosting issues. If you’ve been trying to reach it, apologies for the inconvenience.

Khaya Ronkainen
Khaya Ronkainen is a writer, poet and creative professional. Her blog focuses on all things poetry and creative nonfiction.

13 Comments

  1. I love your perspectives. They give hope and purpose to otherwise treacherous moments. They bring focus, if you will 🙂 We will do what we can. We will control what we can control. And see what 2025 brings.

  2. I am so glad I searched for you in my ‘manage subscription’ list and clicked on your link. FYI: the post appears in the order of it’s dated publication, so I scrolled down on my reader to find it! Thank you for still ‘being there’. Part of what you touched on in your post though not outwardly said is that of just giving up. Part of my own respite from blogging is my on-going navigating literal AI intrusions into my personal Word Docs. And because that means whatever I scribble is documented in the cloud without my authorization – there are at this point no ways to disengage the copilot/AI – I have stepped back – not given up!!! 🙂
    Walking forward in our daily lives these days is challenging, and even if our (he)art is silenced, it is still growing strong roots deep in the soil of all that is good. And you, dear Khaya are part of all that is good.
    🙂

  3. I guess our priorities and how to best use our time and energy will become clearer and keep changing throughout the year. Glad you find my perspective useful Christina. All the best, my friend!

  4. Many thanks, Laura, for being such a generous subscriber and reader. I truly appreciate you taking time to give me feedback! This is one of the reasons, I find loyal readers more invaluable than those who only occasionally stumble upon our posts.

    On this, “Thank you for still ‘being there’. I’ll always be here, reading, even if I stop posting new content (which will be my way of stepping back, btw). I love this blog community. Yes, I know, love is a strong word. 😀 Like-minded people I met and the friendships I’ve developed because of this blog are incredibly meaningful.

    And yes, after a week of my site being inaccessible, I lost my enthusiasm for increased blogging effort. I’ll be covering this experience more and what it revealed in the upcoming newsletter…

    Now, about your experience, “navigating literal AI intrusions into my personal Word Docs,” that’s scary. It certainly feels like an invasion of privacy. I thought scraping, the extraction of data, only occurs on websites. If it comforts you, the ethical use of AI is a topic of ongoing discussions, especially data used to train, and the licensing or fair pay for artists’ works. I’ve made it my business to learn as much as possible about AI, because there are many benefits to using it.

    In all, let your (he)art grow those strong roots; in time, it will break the silence and reach hearts its meant for. And oh, that last sentence really moved me. Thank you! I return the compliment. <3

  5. “Like-minded people I met and the friendships I’ve developed because of this blog are incredibly meaningful.” Agreed! Thanks for such a thoughtful comment to my comment – enjoy your year of ‘FOCUS’. I know you’re gonna do incredible things.

  6. I love your posts, Khaya, the way your words ground me, offer perspective, and inspire. It made me smile to see how you turn a fall and bump on your forehead into a learning experience for life. The terrible situation in the world does overwhelm me, so I especially appreciated your thoughts on the way forward. A much needed post for the soul today. Hugs.

  7. Thank you, Diana, for your kind and encouragement comment. Words, stories and perspectives have a way of grounding us, more so in these uncertain times. I’m truly glad to hear my small contribution helps soothe the soul. Your stories work wonders, too. I’m enjoying your latest book very much; it provides a quiet escape from the world’s chaos. BIG Hugs xx

  8. It’s something when the chaos in our stories pales to that in the real world. I’m glad you’re enjoying a little magical escapism. <3 <3 <3

  9. I’m so glad you’re okay! I’m just coming out of a nasty head cold and in the midst of it I bumped my forehead as I leaned to pick something up. For the next several days it hurt every time I coughed 😹 so I totally feel for you. Lovely sentiments here. Thank you ♥️

  10. Ouch! Battling a cold and a nasty forehead bump, at the same time, is terrible. I hope you’re feeling better by now. Yes, I’m okay, and just extra careful when I walk now, more so with the slippery surface because of snow melting and freezing, and snowing again; climate change is real. Anyway, thank you for stopping by. I appreciate.

Do leave a trace!