We All Need to Focus

One of the definitions of the word focus, when used as a noun is, the central point of attention, activity; when it is used as a verb, concentrate. With the recent automotive tragedies all still fresh in our minds, there’s never been a better time to become re-focused on our surroundings. We all take too many things for granted and rely on others to compensate for our own mistakes. Two innocent lives were lost in the past weeks as someone lost focus and the victims were unable to compensate. Another life was lost when a driver lost control of the car and went head-on into a boulder. As I drive up and down Highway 67 going back and forth between Ramona and Poway, I am still amazed at the number of drivers who do not turn on their lights, who speed, who talk on their cell phones, who tail-gate and who generally don’t seem to be paying full attention to the road. It’s one thing to lose focus while playing sports or completing a task at work, but we all need to focus more when driving.

With more hot weather along with Santa Ana winds on the horizon, we also need to stay focused and do what ever we can to prevent another wildfire from becoming out of control. We have had several smaller brush fires and fortunately all have been contained quickly. October is here and if you haven’t created a 100-foot buffer around inhabited dwellings, you need to do so. Families should also register with the AlertSanDiego emergency notification system (www.readysandiego.org) and make plans now of what to take and where to go in the event of an evacuation. Plan ahead.

And so with a little luck and a lot of focus we can get through the fire season and also stop innocent people from dying in preventable auto accidents. Stay focused.