FMF: Present

It's Friday. One of my favorite writing days, because it's writing with abandon.  Free writing with Lisa-Jo Baker and encouragement and good reading with friends I've never met. 




FMF: Present

We know what it means. Present means "here", right?  But you can be present, and not really be there. 

Several years ago the company I was working for had a internal campaign- Be Here Now.  It was meant to bring focus to our clients and co-workers.  To teach us to really listen in meetings, do less multi-tasking, etc.  But it didn't change my work habits, I had that under control. 

What it is changing, is my Mom and Wife habits.

I am the queen of multi-tasking.  I can cook dinner, wash and fold laundry, catch a news story, take the dog out, make a list, enroll my kids in camp, text my BFF and talk to my mom on the house phone at the same time.  What I wasn't doing well, was being present when my kids or my husband asked me a question.  I realized I wasn't looking them in the eye, or even looking up when I'd throw a response at them, if I even heard what they were saying.  I was present, but wasn't really there.

And being so busy doing mom stuff, I was missing some really fun moments.

I'm not as good as I want to be at "being here now" with my family.  I still get side-tracked by life but I am more aware and think I'm making progress.  I catch myself and try to stop and be in the moment.  And look up. 

And there's a lot to see. 

When I am intentional about Being Here Now for my family- they give me present back.  The other present- gifts.  Sometimes they don't even know it. They're the moments I catch when they aren't aware. And then there are the ones we give each other- the eye to eye contact when they tell me about their day, hearing and shooing away their fears, witnessing the transformation from a boy to man, the unspoken promises my husband tells me with his eyes. 

I'm a fan of present.

Happy Friday y'all!