be all there

Being present is one of the best presents you can give – not only to those who are near and dear to you, but to yourself. Taking time to savour life in all its fullness of beauty and emotion.

Yesterday, I shared this to my Choosing Thankfulness Facebook page. And today, worldwide, social media went down! In some forms, at least. I find myself surprised, and yet not. Because there are many things on this earth that are fleeting. While some of us might be encouraged, inspired and perhaps even strengthened by the sense of community that social media brings – and it can be a wonderful source of all of those things – there’s also a danger in placing all of our hope there. Because if that is where our greatest hope lies, then we will find ourselves lost in times like these.

I’ve known for awhile that I needed to find another way to back up my work, so right now I’m wishing that I’d paid a little closer attention to that prompting and had the time to act on it! But these things take time, and behind the scenes here I’ve been laying some other groundwork. Which, thankfully, has made it easy to hop back on here and pick up where I left off.

The thing is, what will be, will be. I’m trusting that, no matter what, there’s a greater purpose that has led me here. That purpose is what has brought you to the space right now. And that purpose is what brings me to sit here, typing, today.

For those of you here who choose not to use social media, I truly – and genuinely – applaud your choice to be present, already. Some of you know about my own personal wrestling with it, and the fact that I very nearly gave it up completely. This past eighteen months has made it a unique part of my own journey as I’ve learned how to use it as a tool for community and connection, not consumption. But it’s not for everyone, and that’s absolutely ok!

For those of you here who do use social media, what if you look at this outage as an opportunity to be more present. In life, and all that it entails. Yes, that can be messy. And full of collisions. But it’s what we’re on this earth for, after all. (Even here, where we’re in our eighth week of an intensive lockdown and our ability to connect in person is already so limited… but I digress!)

For all of us, in a world where it is so easy to look down at our screens, it is SO important to look up.

We know this, don’t we?

---

So together, let’s remember to look up.

To look into the faces of those around us.

To smile in a way that creases the corner of our eyes.

To slow down. To stop hurrying. To be still. To be present.

To be all there.

---

And yes, I agree, it can be easier said than done. When “there” is in a state of being torn in a number of directions at once, how do you choose to be truly present? Perhaps it’s about just taking one deep breath. And another one. Right there in the middle of the turmoil. Allowing yourself the space to inhale and exhale. And prayerfully allowing each moment to be what it needs to be, uncertainty and all.

You see, trust and peace are lined up with our ability to be present. Fear drives us to speculate, in an attempt to control the outcome. As we do, we forget to “be all there,” and instead worry about what has been, what is, or what is yet to come – particularly when we know it is out of our control. Being present means giving ourselves permission to appreciate the moments along the way, even amid the tough stuff. As we do, we begin to trust that Someone greater holds us in His care. And that trust, brings peace.

But how? What do you do, that helps you to find ways to be present, even when it feels hard? Consider sharing your thoughts in the comments below. You never know, your idea might just be what someone else needs to hear. Know, too, that I’ll be at the other end of this screen, taking the time to savour what it means to be alive, and present, with my own family. And praying that you’ll be able to do the same.

From my heart to yours (with some virtual hugs thrown in),

Kristy x