My path towards here and now crossed me through the intersection with Gabriela, my wife. This is the second important intersection for this presentation and it was created by her desire to evolve further. This is how we got to meet Eckhart Tolle, first through his books and later at some of his retreats.

Thank you, Gabriela.

Presence – what does it mean really?

Well, you know those conversations which take place at our upper floors?

We are not that noise in our heads, we are not that chatter.

What I mean is that we never willingly invite the noise to take place.

They just take place and if I am not aware, I find myself in the very center of stories which reflect fears or desires, mostly material ones.

Yet I can stop them, you can stop them, probably the mental will still be preoccupied with those voices for a while, yet if I do not get involved with them, the monolog will diminish itself. If you get caught in it, be gentle, allow awareness to return towards what is important, which probably is somewhere around you, looking up to you, learning from you. Remember, children learn not only through what we teach them but through what we do.

So be aware of the connexion with the child next to you, feel the joy flowing between you two as it moves between you two.

Children need their parents present, so any monolog inside your head, regardless how urgent it may seem, can actually wait. Return towards your child as they only know “Here and Now”, they are still free of noise. Sara is now three years old so emotions are all she knows, the only language she can speak for now. And I realize as Sara grows in her independence, and busy growing, that our connection is very important for me. At some point, I will feel when to write with light. It can be the same for every parent. Keeping the connection with your child and being present. For me, it was at this intersection that the “decisive moment”, which Cartier-Bresson speaks of in photography, came about. Once the moment arrived and you took that shot, don’t rush in aesthetical consideration of your result. The best part comes from the emotions you will remember for you were there, aware of your presence.

That famous “Here and Now” is almost as a cold shower meant to wake us up from dreams we never intended to have.