Dad : Macro vs Micro. Sort of a strange Tune Out, Tune In in a different way

It's the end of the month and I haven't written anything.  I just kept putting it off because a) I am a bit addicted to late night television talk hosts this last month or two and so b) I got lazy and just watched first and then said, "bed time".    

But there is so much going on in the U.S./World that the late night people have a lot of good jokes and commentary.  

My older daughter is, for all the tik tok and video games she wastes her time on (that darn Chinese government probably has a HUGELY ledger of information about her courtesy of Tik Tok), well versed in world news and events.  So she was talking to me about things and her view and other people and everything.  It was quite in depth one evening in late April probably.  

I was listening to her and thinking about world events.  The two wars going on.  But actually I wasnt listening to her.  I have to admit my mind was wandering with her voice.  

Don't get me wrong, I am one of the world's best listeners.   This is true and I dont back down from this statement.  Not many people know how to listen.  You can tell right away when people aren't the listening type and most likely are thinking about themselves and what THEY have to say.  I listen intently to everybody.

Except this time.  

I wasn't

Well, her voice triggered all the things I have to worry about and try to take care of or not take care of but only hope that she takes care of them.  In fact I was thinking about the home problems, the micro problems if you will, of the nuclear family.  

For instance, my daughter was taking extra math classes outside of school to help her with school math.  She took it on and off for three months.  Did it help?  When she gets to the test taking, it doesnt help.   The problem is moreso, that she has trouble taking the tests, being on the spot.  How can we take care of THAT problem?  Because that seems to be more of the root of the problem.  

She was going to a counselor, maybe to discuss this problem of taking tests.  THESE are very expensive and I have never seen any bill or invoice or where even the counselor is, or results, or anything. And this upsets my economic sensibilities.  The money just goes.  What is happening?  

And finally my back up: that this is the tough time in

her brain and in life.  It can get sorted out, even before she is twenty.  It is just messy inside the head RIGHT NOW and as a result their lives are messy.   It'll work out.  It can work out. It may work out, but.... what do I have to do to help it along? I have to help it along. I have to do my part. I have to try to keep her in line even when the brain is throwing her out of line.  What should I do? Well, nag her to get to bed to get enough sleep. That is important, getting enough sleep.  Try to limit her time on the wasting of the time and make sure she gets other things done, school work and her house duties.  BUT also, to let her be and try to let her work it out herself.  

But wait..... 

See... it is a fine line of whether to push or whether to let it be.  

And THIS was all going through my head as she was talking about world events and the big news.   It was like one of those camera filming tricks where there is one thing going on on the surface and the camera takes you down a black swirling hole into other conversations and scenes and passes them slowly and keeps going down the spiral looking at other things until at last it pops up out of the hole back to the surface and we are back where we started listening to the surface above the "deep swirly hole of inner voices".  

And I thought: Isn't it so strange that there are all these big macro problems going on and my daughter is talking to me about them, but all I can think about is the micro problems and getting to the end of the tunnel on them?  

Have I lost touch with the world only to be caught up in my small home life? 

Do many many people do this all around the world?  And is it natural?