EP 409: Presence > Presents

Ah! December 23rd!!! I remember, back when I would get completely wrapped up in the gift giving aspect of the holidays, the 23rd and 24th were just a frantic blur of stress. Rushing around from store to store... Squeezing the shopping in between the parties... Maxing our my credit cards because I really couldn’t afford what I ‘needed’ to buy for everyone... It felt like the last leg of a marathon and by the time everything was wrapped - sometime around 2am on Christmas Eve, with a couple of empty wine bottles in tow - I felt like I crossed the finish line. And then I just felt spent. I’d be irritable the whole time and overindulging in the egg nog until the old family arguments would ensue. And for what? With all the stress, I was never able to show up for the holidays. So instead of warm and wonderful feelings that would live the nervous system of my loved ones, there was the excitement of a new toy, gadget, or jewelry. This feeling of excitement would last maybe a few weeks or so. But the emptiness arising from the lack of connection would last forever. Does this resonate with you? If so, would you like to prioritize your presence over the presents you buy?