Presence

I have been looking inward a lot lately. Questioning motives, evaluating outward behavior, and scrutinizing my thought life. One of the things that has really been pressing on me lately is presence. You know, really being with and paying attention to those you are around. Over the past 2 or 3 months I can't tell you how many times I have been in mid conversation with someone and they walk off to attend to another task or start attending to someone else. Sometimes, I get it. But to be honest, the distractions were minor in most of the instances. And to top it off, they never returned to finish the conversation. 

YES, I thought of the obvious: "maybe you talk too much, you are boring, people just aren't interested in what you have to say." So, I am working on being more silent. Because the truth is, most of the time, the things I am talking about are shallow anyway, and I am boring. And, before you feel the need to change my mind--I am ok with it, I promise! The words I share most of the time aren't life giving, life changing, or profound. So, really, why jabber about them anyway? I want to work on my words being meaningful. I want to make sure that I let people know they are important to me. I want them to know the work that God has done in my life. That my friend, is life giving and life changing!

My recent experience with this has spoken volumes to me. BE PRESENT. Last night, I walked off while I was in mid-conversation with a guest in my house. While I had a good reason, I needed to grab something for another guest who was leaving, BUT it hurt my stomach for a moment. I want the people I interact with to know they are valued, they matter, and that I care for them. And yes, I did return to finish the conversation :)

My grandfather is currently dealing with terminal cancer and as bad as I don't like saying it or writing it, probably doesn't have very much longer to live. While we shared a Thanksgiving meal I couldn't help but think how significant his presence in the room was. When he got ready to leave, he came into the kitchen and shared some very meaningful words to my aunt in regards to her and my mom. I was moved by the genuineness and humbleness of his words. 

So often, we take for granted the time we have with the people we are around. We are more interested in who is calling, what the other people in the room are doing, and/or our to-do list. I am on a mission to really tune in to those around me. I want to listen to your words, hear your heart, share laughs, and genuinely cherish the time I get to share with you. So, I challenge you: get the phone out of your sight, really listen to the people who are talking to you, share some meaningful stuff with them, and make sure you laugh a lot!

Be Present! Live a Meaningful Life!