This is not a post
about James Taylor. This is a post
about Thursday. In the
AmeriCorps*NCCC world it’s Team Leader Thursday. Normally I wouldn’t devote an entire blog post something I
got from a Facebook post, but today it stuck with me.
I had a great Team
Leader (TL). Jen Karmels built our
team around the values of patience, flexibility, and a healthy sense of
humor. But it was her presence
that helped us become a highly functional and cohesive unit. When we suffered, she suffered. When we need a friend, a mentor, a ride
to the doctor or a swift kick to get us back on track, Jen was right
there. Even these many years later
and miles apart Jen remains a presence in our lives.
Author, poet and
Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh says that, “the most precious gift we can offer
others is our presence.” In this
world of overburdened attention spans, jam packed schedules, and an addictive
tendency to try and do everything – we loose sight of this profound truth.
Earlier this
morning I learned that my teammate Rosa’s sister passed away last weekend. I cannot imagine the sense of loss that
their family must be going through.
But I know Rosa, and her parents.
I know that in the days and weeks to come they will be reflecting on the
good times they had with Ana. In
this context presence takes on an entirely new meaning and perhaps urgency.
Presence is one of my 3 words for 2013, but being present is a practice that can be beneficial to all. So on this Thursday, let us take a moment to be present to one another. Hug your kids, spend time with your family, call a friend who you’ve been meaning to talk to for a while, take a risk and offer a kind word to a stranger. But do something to reach out. In the end, it’s those moments in which we are present for one another that stay with us.
Presence is one of my 3 words for 2013, but being present is a practice that can be beneficial to all. So on this Thursday, let us take a moment to be present to one another. Hug your kids, spend time with your family, call a friend who you’ve been meaning to talk to for a while, take a risk and offer a kind word to a stranger. But do something to reach out. In the end, it’s those moments in which we are present for one another that stay with us.
"Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present" Master Oogway
My thoughts and prayers go out to Rosa, Ana and the entire Strandemo family.
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