"The best things in life aren't things," as Art Buchwald famously said. Connection and shared experiences, the love and laughter of those we hold dearest, belief in ourselves and in the goodness of people, these are the things that allow us to relax and enjoy our lives.
And yet we miss so much of this when we're only half here. Divided attention has quickly become our norm, and my heartfelt belief is that the price we pay is higher than we might imagine. Connection with ourselves and with each other (the very thing we long for deep down) is what we give up when we're checking our phones for the 10th time while our kids play, or half read the internet while our partners tell us about their day. We miss being present to the moment in life that is playing out right in front of us.
This is my last week teaching before I head off to India, and so I wanted to dedicate the class simply to Christmas Presence (as opposed to presents). I believe our main job here is to uncover our particular gifts and share them, because when we do that we feel fulfilled, and we know we're having a positive and meaningful impact on the people and the world around us. And we can only do this by giving our full attention, being fully present and en-joying each moment - it's the greatest gift we can give ourselves and each other. See you there loved ones, Deborah