by Mark Weinrich

There is a menagerie 
of mind-numbing
and hour-eating pursuits
today. Distraction upon
distractions, like the carnival
midways of our youth,
where dollar after dollar 
was risked trying to win
gaudy toys we never
wished for or wanted.
What a sinking feeling
when the cost was weighed
and the trinket disappeared
into a closet box.

Distractions are cheap
substitutes for the precious
gems God wants to reveal
when we live 
with an attentive spirit. 

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Mark Weinrich lives a creative life as a writer, photographer, musician, and artist—all wrapped together in an outdoorsman. He is a retired pastor and nine-year cancer survivor. His writing and photography have appeared in over 139 news stand, inspirational, and literary publications. He has sold eight children’s books and currently has two fantasy novels on Kindle.