Reading Comprehension
I deservedly earned a reputation for not paying attention to the little things early in life.
I hate to think of how much money my mother spent on winter gloves and hats to replace the ones I lost. I didn’t mean to lose them. I just didn’t always pay attention to what I did with them when I didn’t have them on my body.
She also had to continually remind me that when she asked me to look for something, I needed to actually move other things to find it. Standing and staring at a shelf didn’t cut it. I didn’t see anything wrong with that because if it was important, why would someone put it behind something else?
As I have grown up, I have managed to slightly improve in this area. Some of it I credit to my 10 years as a reporter. Working as a “trained observer” helped me notice things a little better. Well, when I felt like it.
I still have trouble noticing an additional item in a room, a new haircut or, in the case of a recent outing with my wife, the number above the door at the movies.