10 Apr Public Journal :: 010 • Here

What does it mean to be here?

To me, being here is about a quality of presence. It’s about honoring the person, space, or activity in front of me.

Sure it begins with attendance—putting your physical body in a locale. For me, it ends with generosity. One cannot truly be here (as I mean it) if they are not willing to part ways with their most valuable asset: their attention. 

In this sense, being here is a gift—and not just as in the saying “the present is a present”. 

Yes this well-worn play on words is true. 

But also those that are present present a present to others that are present. 

Double that play on words and it’s still true.

Genuine “here-ness” is a most basic, yet rare gift to find in a day and age that cultivates short attention spans and microwavable relationships. 

Is there any wonder why we have a global pandemic of anxiety on our hands?

There is no anxiety here. Anxiety lives out there.

In the here & now we find substance. It is here that we find and experience life itself.

In the Old Testament, God presented himself as the great ‘I AM’. In the most foundational sense, God is always here. His Spirit embodies the most attentive, loving, aware, and knowledgable force in or outside of our universe. God always was, is, and will be…. here. All of time is here for him.

Maybe one of the reasons I love creating so much is that, when done well, it consistently ushers me into a rich engagement with the present moment. This is where I really want to be. The more time I can really spend here—fully engaged with the person or thing at hand—the more life I get to live.

Such is the essence and beauty of being here.

Stream “Here” my latest instrumental co-release with The Pocket Queen