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Quality of Presence

 Reading these lines in the book How to Sit, reminded me of my friend L:

Your actions should be based on the foundation of a high quality of being. Being is non-action, so the quality of action depends on the quality of non-action. Non-action is already something. There are people who don’t seem to do very much, but their presence is crucial for the well-being of the world. You may know people like this, who are steady, not always busy doing things, not making a lot of money, or being engaged in a lot of projects, but who are very important to you; the quality of their presence makes them truly available. They are contributing non-action, the high quality of their presence. To be in the here and the now—solid and fully alive—is a very positive contribution to our collective situation.

Indeed L is exactly the kind of person Thich Nhat Hanh describes. She is home-bound for the most part on account of her disability. She is able to work in her yard still which she does with great pleasure almost all year round. Every season her garden is blooming and producing in different ways. In times of trouble, talking to L always seems like a good idea - not just to me but to everyone who knows her. Grandkids from continents away stay in touch with her regularly as do her neighbors and friends from down the street. The quality of her presence makes us all want her in our lives. You could sit in the same room with her, not exchanging a single word and still feel good. Whatever state of mind you came into that room, you will likely leave it feeling much better.


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