Your Presence Matters

We live in an age of ever-increasing distraction. Admit it, you have as much an urge to look at your phone while driving as I do. Our attention is divided. If our attention is divided, the degree to which we are truly present is compromised. I don’t state this problem for the means of shame or correction, but as an observation and frankly, a confession.

 Have you been in a meeting that you took seriously, while someone else was on their phone (clearly not present)? I bet you felt frustrated or sad. Maybe even slightly betrayed? How does it make you feel when someone is truly present with you? Do you feel like you have value? That is the contrast between a person’s presence and lack-there-of.

 Presence matters. Your presence matters. You do not need to look very far to find statistics that prove what you can observe on your own. People with a good group of friends (people who are present in their lives) live the longest. A child with a father present in the home has a far greater chance at success in life. Through-and-through, statistics show that EVERYTHING is better when people are present for and with one another.

What might it look like if you could become fully present in each sphere of your life? You would no doubt be more productive and efficient. More importantly, how would it affect the people in your life? Would you be a better spouse, parent, friend, neighbor, brother, sister, leader, employee…? You would be. Can be. Your presence matters.