…And you will find your cup is full when you first fill the cup of someone else.

…People know when we treat them like thieves of time vs. when time stands still for the person in your presence.
Sit down on the rug with a child, hold the hand of the hurting, look in the eyes of the lonely, worship with one another, blossom like flowers sinking their toes in the dirt together…

…To reach out a hand, to put a hand on their shoulder, to send a “thinking of you” message, to offer a meal, a conversation, a good cry is to see their pain – and in doing so, releasing pain’s power.
A kind word, a hug, a handshake can be enough to rekindle the spirit of another…

…We see more clearly when we dive into the eyes of another and see their worldview.
To step in the way that leads to life is to step out of our comfort zone and connect with another human being.
To empathize with others is to feel deeply their pain and anguish…

…To see is not to be blind to our differences but to embrace the colorful kaleidoscope of creation.
To be more fully yourself is to find your belonging in the collective.
“We don’t help someone find their dignity, we affirm it.” (Cole Arthur Riley)…

Presence
By Russell Clark
2/5/25

To be present is to notice who is absent.
To be included is to notice who is not included (and include them).
To read the room is to read the worry, stress, & fear on the faces of your neighbors…

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde 🎤🎤