The sons of the world recognize absent-mindedness as innocent, and the Holy Fathers recognize it as the beginning of all evils (882).

A man who is devoted to absent-mindedness has a very easy, most superficial conception of all subjects, even the most important ones.

An absent-minded person is usually inconstant: his heartfelt sensations are devoid of depth and strength, and therefore they are unstable and short-lived.

As a moth flutters from flower to flower, so an absent-minded person passes from one earthly pleasure to another, from one vain care to another.

An absent-minded person is a stranger to love his neighbor: he looks indifferently at the misfortune of people and easily lays on them burdens that are unbearable.

Sorrows have a strong effect on the distracted precisely because he does not expect them. He expects only joys.

If sorrow is strong, but transient, then the distracted soon forgets it in the noise of amusements. Long-term sorrow crushes him.

Absent-mindedness itself punishes the one who is devoted to it: time bores him with everything, and he, as one who has not acquired any thorough knowledge and impressions, gives himself over to tormenting endless despondency.

Absent-mindedness, so harmful in general, is especially harmful in the work of God, in the matter of salvation, which requires the vigilance and attention of the constant, intense.

Watch and pray, that ye may not enter into the misfortune [883], says the Saviour to His disciples.

I say to all, "Watch," He proclaimed to all Christianity, and consequently to us also to those who are contemporary with us.

He who leads a scattered life directly contradicts the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ with his life.

All the saints carefully avoided absent-mindedness. Continually, or at least as often as possible, they concentrated within themselves, listening to the movements of the mind and heart and directing them according to the testament of the Gospel.