With the holidays quickly approaching, I am inundated with holiday gift guides. No doubt you are as well.
The emphasis on purchasing consumer goods as a means to show appreciation or honor connection is a peculiar notion to me. I don’t ‘get’ it. I purchase no gifts; not because I stand on any principle, but because what I have to give is something more valuable than anything I have ever seen offered for sale.
My present to others is my presence, whether or not it’s the holidays. That is the greatest gift I can give. Full presentness is precious. It is rare. And it is something only I can give to those in my life circle.
I understand why people buy gifts. It’s easy. Digging deep, listening attentively, setting aside time to really connect, allowing someone to share their life and inner thoughts, making a memory, and being nowhere but in the moment is a treasure, a true gift with merit and meaning.
Our lives are so frantic that we often miss the many moments of life that bring the greatest satisfaction; the moment of now, here, connecting, time suspended until the experience has served its full purpose.
Give the gift of yourself this season; fully present.
Happy holidays!