Comments on: Being Present Versus Being There

By: Belinda Munoz

Belinda Munoz — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:41:00 +0000

Ha! For me it would be reading 101 Dalmatians six times in a row.

By: Belinda Munoz

Belinda Munoz — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:32:56 +0000

Connections! I love that you commented about that! I’m learning and re-learning this (and am hoping it’ll one day sink in). I’ve come to prize showing up more so than quality time spent with people. I mean, I love quality time as much as anybody. But before becoming a mother, I didn’t really appreciate showing up enough. It was always fairly easy to get my ass somewhere and I assumed that if someone wasn’t handicapped, it should be just as easy for them to show up for me, too. Now I know how hard it is to leave behind (or take with) a little one and just how limited time really is.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:59:36 +0000

I recently read somewhere something about the time we have to spend doing the things we want to do, and how we should spend it. Oh it was written quite eloquently, to be sure–much more eloquently than I can recount now after a long day with work and boys has finally come to an end–but the gist is that our time should mostly be spent with the people in our lives. Because, in the end, it’s about connections. Yes, connections. That thing I am always so hung up on. Showing up, in the context in which you write here, is really what is most important. Showing up to be a part of the lives that you cling to, the ones that define you as much as your kids or your job or your husband does. Good friends, sisters and brothers, cousins, old roommates, pastors or priests. It could be any number of people.

The reason that this resonated so much with me is not because it’s nouveau–for, certainly, it is not. But rather because being a mom to three boys makes it near impossible to “make the trip” I have to make to spend the time with the friend I so desperately want to see. It almost seems like it’s not worth the hassle it’s going to be. But that’s wrong. It’s always worth the hassle. And the “hassle” is so much less of a hassle if I just stop viewing it as that, and instead view it as the thing I need to do to get the thing I want to do.

So, piling all of the kids in the car and driving 8 hours to meet up with a bestie who lives far away? Totally worth it…

By: TheKitchenWitch

TheKitchenWitch — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:42:53 +0000

Sometimes I believe in this “present” stuff and sometimes I think it’s bunk. There are certain moments that I don’t want to miss, certainly. Moments I shouldn’t miss and sometimes do. But the laundry and the dishes and the 6th game of CandyLand? No thanks. I think I’d rather have my mind elsewhere.

By: Jarrod - Cultivating Heroes

Jarrod - Cultivating Heroes — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:23:24 +0000

For me being present is being able to observe and experience both the internal and external worlds simultaneously. If it I take it to another level it is about being able to direct your focus to the wholeness of an experience.

With that being said, there are times when it is necessary to use the mind to plan and extract lessons. This is fine these are seperate moments. The point there is to be the master of your focus.

By: Aileen

Aileen — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:58:20 +0000

Being present is one of the best gifts we can give to another person – just being fully present with them. It’s not always easy to be fully present with our minds being over loaded and preoccupied – but when we can be present , it really mattes.

By: Meg

Meg — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:01:20 +0000

Interesting set of questions. Living in the moment can take you out of your own skin better than anything else, it can take your ego out of the situation. It does not exclude awareness of the past or desire for the future–it can’t, if it fully embraces all elements of the present.

By: Positively Present

Positively Present — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:02:00 +0000

As you probably know, I write a lot about being present on Positively Present, but I’ve never thought about the topic in quite this way before. I really think there’s a huge difference between “being present” and “being there” and it’s a very important difference to consider. Thanks for writing about this, Belinda!

By: Zengirl @ Heart and Mind

Zengirl @ Heart and Mind — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:47:00 +0000

Belinda,

I am glad that your parents-in-laws’s anniversary celebration went very well. Congratulations to them.

We seemed to have somewhat similar thoughts as I too blogged about learning from history today. We can learn so much from our elders, only we stop to ask and listen to them I think they have lot of wisdom to share.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:18:49 +0000

Thanks Belinda,,
I do plan to blog about it soon. Like tomorrow. I swear…