The Power of Presence

Last week, I was once again, in awe of the rugged beauty of one of my favorite cities in the country, Monterey, CA. During my time in Monterey, I have learned much about myself, my life, and what it truly means to be human. It has only been through the power of presence, I have come to learn so much and experience such a profound shift in my journey.

My father worked day and night, six or seven days a week, and he still does to this day. Now, as an adult and a parent myself, I have an even greater love and respect for him, having a real understanding of his sacrifice. As a child, I was grateful for my father and all his hard work. Despite this feeling, there was of course always a longing for him to be present more often.

Present, and presence, although quite similar, have unique qualities. When I took the picture above, I was clearly, present; I was physically there. The picture was taken from the balcony of a local restaurant, sitting right along the Pacific Coast with the breathtaking view of Big Sur just below me. For a brief moment, I was alone on this balcony with a good friend. My perception of the space shifted, and I was drawn to this specific plant. I knew I needed to capture the moment to share it with you but after that, I was able to enjoy the moment with a deep presence.

I inhaled deeply and could sense the salty mist in the air. I could hear people above sitting and enjoying their lunches on the patio, but for a moment everything fell silent until all I could hear were the sounds of the nature I was surrounded by. The birds, the waves crashing below, the rustling of the trees. I could smell the moisture on the trees around me. I looked closely at the plant in front of me and saw the immense indescribable beauty just behind it. I could feel the cool breeze on my face and legs. I felt my hands come together, and whispered, "Thank you". Dear reader, this is presence.

Much of my life until recently, I had mistaken present and presence. I wished my father had been more present. Which as you can imagine, resulted in much more pain than just an unresolved wish. I often was in relationships, and friendships with people who could be present at the snap of my fingers, but nothing more... Imagine my heartbreak, my disappointment, to realize having someone physically in my space meant absolutely nothing without presence.

During this time, I began to think back to the time I was able to spend with my father. I realized, my father, in his limited time with me, had given me the closest thing to presence I had ever known. It wasn't perfect but it was a start. My father, as all parents, did the best he could with what he knew, and he didn't know much but he tried to do better. In hindsight, he understood he could not be physically present with me as much as he would have liked, so he tried to give me his full presence in the moments we did have together. What a reflection for me now.

I questioned what it was about the time with my father that made me feel his presence. I admit during this time; I didn't have a clue. Once I started my personal growth and development journey, the word presence began to flutter across pages in books I would read, podcasts I would listen to, and videos I watched. It wasn't until I started my life coaching certification, that I became familiar with presence in its truest form. The presence I described in this picture. The glimpses of presence I saw with my father.

The power of presence is love, healing, and gratitude. When we are present it is essential to have presence. With presence, those we engage with, feel heard, seen, validated, and important. The power of presence will bring peace to a worrying mind, it will bring understanding to life's most misunderstood pain, it will bring joy and tranquility to even the smallest moments. It will bring the most meaning to the moments we share with those we love so we may hold them close to our hearts forever. In these moments, dear reader, is where we learn what it means to be human in our truest form.

Together, let's nurture our roots, spread our wings, embrace the beauty of transformation, and live our true visions.

With Love & Gratitude

-Hummingbirds