Grama’s Magnifying Glass: Refocusing the Voice of Colorado

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice

While sitting in the waiting area at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, I heard the characteristic sounds of hospital life—beeping machines, nurses moving quietly, and families whispering prayers of hope. My wife, Sherrie, underwent brain surgery with advanced laser technology, prompting me to reflect on the importance of focus—its influence not just on medical results but on the core of our lives.

As a boy, I often borrowed my grandmother’s magnifying glass — the one she used for reading mail, books, and sometimes the Bible and fine print. Outside in San Diego’s bright sun, where I lived during my teen years and until I joined the military, it became something different. I’d arrange dry leaves or pieces of paper (never bugs, of course) on the sidewalk, then tilt the glass until a focused, intense beam of light appeared. In moments, the cold items would ignite.

I didn’t realize it then, but I was learning one of life’s simplest and most profound truths: whatever you focus on magnifies. Focus can ignite quickly. It can bring warmth or burn down what’s good, depending on where we aim it.

Today, that same truth applies to Colorado’s voice. What we focus on—both collectively and individually—shapes what develops in our public life and reality.

Throughout Colorado, from the plains to the mountains, our discussions resemble a hall of mirrors. While many voices are amplified, they often lack alignment. This divide is evident across politics, education, entertainment, law enforcement, economics, and faith communities. Each sector is vocal, but many tend not to listen, fostering division with an ‘Us versus them” mindset instead of unity. 

Watch the news or scroll social media, and you’ll notice what happens when focus is lost or diverted: outrage takes over hope, accusations drown out solutions, and division becomes the norm, distorting notions of goodness, righteousness, and the most beneficial way forward for everyone.  

Colorado has always been a state of pioneers—independent yet united by a sense of place and purpose. But lately, we’ve been staring into the glare of our differences rather than the light of shared values. When everything becomes an argument, nothing becomes an answer.

We’ve magnified problems rather than possibilities, politics rather than principles, and personality rather than purpose. It’s no wonder the tone of our public voice feels tense, reactive, and weary.

The law of focus is as unyielding as gravity. Whatever we concentrate on expands—both in perception, in power, and attitude. When a community or any relationship (friendship, spouse, parenting, leadership, etc.) continually fixates on what’s broken, it inadvertently feeds the very thing it fears, which, in turn, destroys the very thing it was trying to fix in the first place. Ironic! 

We see it everywhere. We see it in newsrooms that prize outrage over objectivity. We see it in the classroom, where people are indoctrinated with harmful ideologies. We see it in city councils and coffee shops, where conversation has become a contest rather than a communion.

The consequence of this misdirection is evident. We’re expending energy rather than generating light. Like a magnifying glass pointed aimlessly, our collective focus can scorch rather than shine, leaving us in a state of tension, reactivity, and weariness.

But misdirection doesn’t have to be permanent. What’s magnified can also be redirected. The moment we align our focus toward what’s good and right, transformation begins—not by force, but by the natural power of truth. This potential for positive change in Colorado should give us all hope and optimism.

Refocusing doesn’t mean ignoring challenging issues; it means seeing them through a more transparent, steadier lens. It means asking not “What’s wrong?” but “What’s worth magnifying?”

We can start by focusing on goodness—the quiet heroism of Colorado’s first responders, teachers, nurses, and neighbors who still show up every day to do the right thing when no one’s watching.
We can focus on truth—not the version packaged for profit or politics, but the kind that sets people free. And we can focus on unity—not uniformity, but the harmony that arises when each voice contributes to a greater melody.

Every citizen, every leader, every community group holds a piece of the magnifying glass. Where we aim it together determines whether Colorado burns out or burns bright. This collective power should make us all feel empowered and responsible for the direction of our community.

The good news is that focus, once reclaimed, spreads quickly—just like that childhood fire on the sidewalk. When we fix our gaze on what’s noble and true, we ignite a different kind of flame: one that warms hearts, restores hope, and rekindles trust.

Whatever you focus on magnifies. That’s not just a proverb—it’s a principle of life. This principle should enlighten us and inspire us to be more mindful of our focus.

So maybe it’s time we borrow Grama’s magnifying glass again. Let’s take a closer look at what we’ve been amplifying. Let’s aim the lens toward goodness, toward truth, and toward the kind of light that brings clarity instead of chaos.

Because if focus can start a fire, let’s make sure it purifies and illuminates, not one that consumes.

Colorado’s voice truly deserves a fresh listen. When we do, you’ll see how quickly positives spread—perhaps by December, life will be shining brightly with joy once more. 

With focus and the power of a good reality!

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so, we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.