Presence isn't just about showing up. It's about being fully there; attuned, grounded, and open. In a world of distractions, being present is a gift we give to others and ourselves.
When someone feels seen and heard, they begin to trust. Presence is the foundation of that trust. It's what turns a transaction into a relationship, and a moment into a memory.
On a quiet ride home on public transit, I noticed a young woman seated nearby, quietly crying. I leaned over and gently asked if she was okay. She looked up, surprised, and then began to speak; her story poured out.
She was a recovering addict. Just days earlier, she had regained custody of her children. She was returning from counseling, but her heart was heavy with doubt. Would her family believe she was serious about staying clean? Would they trust her again?
I listened. I didn't interrupt. And when she paused, I offered this:
"It may take some time for them to see. But, at the moment, you are doing great. What you may wish to do is focus on your time with having your lovely children back. Focus on your family. I cannot say what others will do. But, I can say you can make a life of joy for you and your children."
As fate would have it, we exited the bus at the same stop. She turned to me, gave me a hug, and said, "You made my day. I'm going to try to focus on my family."
I hope she did.
Over the years, I've worked in Customer and Client Services across every form: in person, on phones, through emails, online, and mail. Each interaction taught me something new about the importance of presence.
I learned that people don't just want answers, they want to feel seen. Whether it was a frustrated caller, a nervous walk-in, or a quiet email, the real skill wasn't solving the issue. It was listening. It was noticing. It was showing up with kindness.
Presence isn't just a personal virtue. It's a professional superpower.
When I was about 9, and my two younger brothers were 8 and 7. We saw a car stuck on the ice at the corner of our street. We ran down to help push them off the ice. The gentlemen in the car allowed us to help; and they let us believe we were truly helpful.
To our surprise, each of us was handed an American $1.00 bill. We ran home, gave them to our mother for groceries, while feeling like the richest people in the world. We hadn't expected anything. We just wanted to help. But, their kindness stayed with us.
"Even as children, we understood presence without knowing the word for it. We saw someone who needed help, and we showed up. And those men, in turn, showed presence by letting us help and making us feel valued".
Sometimes, presence is returned in the most unexpected ways.
Think of a time when someone was truly present for you. What did it feel like? What did it change?
Now think of a time when you were fully present for someone else. What did you notice? What did they need?
I grew up in a home where I was told I wasn't worth as much as my eight brothers. My sisters were already gone by the time I was nine. There was pain, abuse, neglect, betrayal. But I don't call them hardships. I call them lessons.
They taught me how not to treat others. They taught me to listen. To notice. To be there when someone is hurting, if they'll let me. Because sometimes, the smallest act of presence can be the thing that helps someone hold on.
That's what this module is about. Not fixing. Not saving. Just being there. Fully. Kindly. Humanly.
And maybe, just maybe, that presence becomes the beginning of someone else's healing.