One lesson I have been trying to teach Shawn, again and again, is something simple but powerful: situational awareness.
It is one of those skills that sounds ordinary until the day it saves you.
Shawn walks around the streets with his headphones on, lost in music, disconnected from the world around him.
To him, it probably feels normal, harmless, and even relaxing.
To me, it looks dangerous.
That is because the world we live in may look civilized, but in many ways, it still operates like a jungle.
The trees may be gone and the wild animals may be gone, but the danger has not disappeared.
It has only changed its shape.
Now we live in a concrete jungle.
In a jungle, survival depends on keeping your senses awake.
You listen.
You watch.
You notice movement.
You pay attention to what does not feel right.
That same rule still applies today.
A person who shuts off sight and hearing from the world around them is not moving through life carefully.
They are moving through it blindly.
That is why I keep telling him to keep all his senses active.
It is not fear.
It is wisdom.
The truth is, safety is never automatic.
You are not completely safe on the street.
You are not completely safe in a parking lot.
You are not even always safe inside your own house.
That may sound harsh, but it is reality.
And reality rewards awareness.
This is also one reason I have never been drawn to video games that consume sight and hearing so intensely.
When two of your most important senses are locked into a screen, the outside world disappears.
That may be entertainment, but it also shows how easily attention can be hijacked.
And once attention is hijacked, awareness disappears with it.
The good news is that situational awareness does not have to be complicated.
There is a simple way to remember it.
It is called the OODA Loop.
This concept was developed by John Boyd, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force.
It is a practical mental cycle for staying alert, thinking clearly, and responding wisely.
The first step is Observe.
Pay attention to what is happening around you.
Look, listen, and notice.
The second step is Orient.
Understand what you are seeing.
Ask yourself what it means, whether it is normal, and whether it could become a problem.
The third step is Decide.
Choose what you are going to do.
That decision may be as simple as crossing the street, leaving an area, speaking up, or staying alert.
The fourth step is Act.
Do it.
Then do not stop there.
Watch what happens next.
See the result of your action, and keep repeating the loop.
Observe.
Orient.
Decide.
Act.
Again and again.
That is how awareness becomes a habit instead of a theory.
What makes this idea so powerful is that it is useful everywhere.
It works at work.
It works in the stock market.
It works at a party.
It works in a restaurant.
It works on a train.
It works on a flight.
It works anywhere human beings have to read a situation and respond intelligently.
In other words, it works in life.
This is not just a lesson for soldiers, pilots, or security professionals.
It is a lesson for ordinary people.
More importantly, it is a lesson for our children.
We teach kids math.
We teach them science.
We teach them how to use devices.
But we do not always teach them how to read a room, sense danger, or stay mentally present.
We should.
Because situational awareness is not paranoia.
It is preparedness.
It is not about living in fear.
It is about living awake.
And in a world full of distractions, that may be one of the most valuable lessons we can ever pass on.
Let’s teach our kids to enjoy life, but also to notice life.
Let’s teach them that awareness is a form of protection.
Let’s teach them the OODA Loop.
One day, it may make all the difference.
