The Greatest Gift You Can Give (and Receive)

I just returned from a five-day Soul Care retreat, as part of my Spiritual Direction certification program - five whole days away from the constant pull of emails, notifications, and the ever-present hum of daily life.

No tech distractions. No rushing. Just space to be - with God, with others, and with my own heart. 🥰

And let me tell you - I have never felt more present.

I noticed things I usually miss - the warmth of the sun on my face, the slow, steady rhythm of my breath, the way silence isn’t empty but actually full. Conversations felt deeper. Time felt richer. My soul felt awake.

It made me remember something simple but profound: Presence is the ultimate act of love.

We all know the feeling of talking to someone who isn’t really there - their eyes darting to their phone, their mind already onto the next thing. And if we’re honest, we’ve all been that person, too. Distracted. Half-listening. Rushing through moments that should matter.

But when we choose presence, we are saying: 

❣️ You matter. 

❣️ This moment matters. 

❣️ I refuse to let distractions steal what is right here, and sacred.

Jesus modeled this kind of love. He was never in a hurry. He didn’t rush conversations. He stopped, noticed, and fully saw the people in front of Him. And in doing so, He changed lives.

So this week, perhaps you can try practicing love (with your family, community and colleagues) through presence. 

✨ Be fully engaged in a conversation - no distractions. 

✨ Sit in stillness with God - just listening. 

✨ Give yourself the gift of presence - pause, breathe, and allow yourself to Be without rushing to the next thing.

Because when we are fully present, we are fully alive. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll realize that everything we’ve been searching for isn’t out there somewhere - it’s right here, waiting for us to slow down and notice.