With all that’s going on in the world, in our community, in our house, in our brain — ya’ know, the pace that we sometimes allow ourselves to get caught up in; or the stimulation we take on in response to a news story; or the drama that shows up in a family dynamic — all of that can diminish our commitment to presence. To be present. To pay attention. To, with an open heart, observe what is right in front of us, without judgement. To be our authentic, best selves.

Being present is a gift. The present of being present is a gift that is opened and reopened many, many times, and it is the gift that keeps on giving (corny but oh-so-true). When we are present and in the moment, paying attention to our current thought, circumstance, or emotion, we are open to acceptance, learning, and growing. From here, we are receptive to joy and gratitude. Distraction, on the other hand — be it texting, daydreaming, or judging — gets in the way of paying attention to the here and now. We’ve got this one moment to live, followed by the next unique moment, and the next moment, bringing us to a place of gorgeous presence. Let’s make the most of it.

The concept of presence has come up for me this week as I am visiting my family in Florida, staying at my sister’s home with her family — and they just happen to live just down the street from my parents. Sheesh, there’s nothing like a family visit to divert presence — old stuff comes up; being inserted into another family’s routine can create an internal imbalance; and simply being out of my familiar surroundings throws me off the path of being present. Perhaps you experience this phenomenon also, when you are around family that you don’t see very often. If not, wow! you’re fortunate, and if so, phew! I’m glad to know I am not alone in this.

The gift un-wrapping begins by opening the elaborately tied metaphoric bow to get to the personalized greeting card — an invitation to drop into the state of presence. Slowly peeling off the outer layer,  you see a glimpse of what the box holds … recognition that awareness and responsiveness have begun to slip and are in peril of being replaced by reactivity. Soon enough, the top of the box is removed to reveal the precious gift inside: acceptance, compassion, and understanding. You’ve just given yourself the present of presence.