The analogy of the camera to life is so apt. There are different variations of this anonymous quote. The four points that I’ve come across are as follows:
- Focus on what’s important
- Capture the good times
- Develop from the negatives
- If things don’t work out, take another shot
All photographers can attest, it takes a lot of patience, a lot of focus, several shots to get the “perfect” picture. It’s so easy to get distracted with trivial matters everyday. It’s important we learn to focus on what’s important and block out the rest.
What helps me is to visualise at the start of the day all the important stuff I’d like to focus on, the things that matter and the things that I can control.
And then more importantly at the end of the day, look back and see what went well and what didn’t go as planned. Only if we do this will we be able to capture the good times and develop from the negatives. And only after this does it make sense to take another shot!
In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius presents the Daily Examen, a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience.”
This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
For details on each step of the Examen, read How can I Pray?
Kenrick Vaz 
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