I've been chewing on a thought for a while now, but when was the last time you unplugged, put the phone down, and just took 15 minutes to think? Distraction-free with no email pings, text bells, tweet announcements, and all of that?

What happened to the lost art of fire-gazing? I was reading about how Michelangelo spent nearly 4 months staring at the block of marble that would become the David statue. He would come in each day, sit down, and stare at this massive block of marble, pack it in, and go home. For nearly 4 months. How fast would people start thinking he was a bit loony?

Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/michelangelo.html#GybtKTQypoIoXOwd.99

 "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it."

Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/michelangelo.html#GybtKTQypoIoXOwd.99

He took the time to create a world renowned masterpiece, and perfected it in his own mind before releasing the sculpture from it's block of marble.

With how many distractions that we are faced with on a constant basis, the challenge really lies in becoming the master of distractions, and remaining focused. Taking some time out of our day, even if it is for only 10 minutes, to just think and reflect, is such a helpful task to keep sane.

I don't want to bore you with stats, figures and research, because frankly, I can find anything to back up a statement on the internet, whether it's a reliable source or not. What I want to say is that we should work to regain the lost art of fire-gazing. I can not wait until we can start building some fires in the back yard (probably this week!) with our fire pit, and spend time outside without a tv, or other distractions.

It's a time to reflect at the end of the day, to think about what is coming tomorrow, and to just relax. Make a S'More or roast a hot dog, and let's find comfort in the small joy of restful fire-gazing!

If you are looking for something that will inspire you, look no further. From the film, The Great Dictator (1940),  Charles Chaplin gives a speech that rings as true today as it did 73 years ago. Think about all the advances in technology we have made, even in the last decade, and what it has done to our human spirit. It has created great opportunities, and united us in ways we could never have predicted.

Be inspired by the beauty of this speech, and grab hold to the universal truths he espouses from the past, and in his own words:

"Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity, more than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life would be violent and all will be lost."