gifts and presence

Mike’s grandpa was one of the kindest people I have known. He had a warm smile and a jolly laugh that always made me feel at home. His insights were profound and Mike and I would often seek his counsel, particularly as newly marrieds. He shared many gems of wisdom with us, but there is one in particular that has never left me. And he shared it often. He would quote, “We spent all our lives to get there, and when we got there, there was no there there.” To be perfectly honest, I was a bit confused. Only now am I beginning to understand the wisdom of what he was trying to share.

When Mike and I first got married, we said, “When we graduate from college, then life will be better.” Later that changed to, “When medical school and residency are done, life will be easier.” Along the way, we added a few more, “When potty training is done…when we buy a house…when we have a bigger car…when I’ve lost the baby weight…when the tantrums end…when Hannah can babysit…when the yard is done…when the snow melts…then life will be better/simpler/easier.” So we worked hard to get to “there”. We finished schooling, got the kids out of diapers, found a job and bought a house. And while all of these were indeed worthy accomplishments and significant milestones, we never actually arrived “there.”

The thing is, there is no “there.” It’s a mirage – sand and dust – an illusion. It doesn’t exist. There is really only “here”. Now. Present. And that perhaps is the greatest gift I have received this year. The realization that the moment I am in right now is what matters most. And it’s all I have. The past, though meaningful, sometimes joyful and sometimes painful, is only a memory and the future is still yet to come. But the gift of the present moment is rich with life and it calls to me: Be. Hear/Here. Now. It really is about the journey…

Many gifts will be unwrapped in the coming days and weeks. Some will be filled with chocolates, pajamas or jewelry. But if you look closely, there right in front of you is a gift waiting to be opened. It is a gift that has never been seen before and is truly one of a kind. The gift is Today. Unwrap it carefully. Savor it. Hold it close. And let the adventure begin.

This gift has a short shelf life, but don’t worry…there will be another one waiting for you tomorrow.

-love, the Williams