Being Fully Present

One of Tina Howard's gifts as a writer is that she possesses a kind of simple honesty. Most of us want to look good in front of our friends and at church. It's easy to put on a happy face and pretend. With writing, the temptation is even greater. Writers can hide behind their pretty words. Tina writes about being a mother. She writes about the joys and the griefs, and yes, even her own weakness. When you write like that you give people permission to admit their own weaknesses and begin to grow. Recently Tina wrote about the way that we parents can be with our children and not really be with them. And it's not just with children. Being fully present with others is something you have to learn.

As I lay in bed last night thinking over my day, I saw snapshots of me being with my family - but not fully there. I asked my daughter to feed the dog . . . while I was staring at my computer screen. I played with my daughter in her play room . . . while I thought about something I needed to get done later. I kissed my husband when he got home . . . while I calculated how soon we needed to leave in order to deliver a piece of furniture on time. I listened to a friend talk about her day over the phone . . . while I scanned my email for new messages.... Read More