Have you ever found yourself longing for the simplicity of a dog's life? My dog Koda (shown here with his feline brother, Huckaby) often evokes envy in me...especially when I am rushing around like a "chicken with my head cut off." (Don't you just love the visuals of these old farm sayings?) His "feathers rarely get ruffled," and he is "cool as a cucumber," "happy as a hog a'pissin'."(That one's for you, Bonnie!) Enough barnyard talk!

Have you ever noticed that your dog could care less where you are going? He or she just wants to go with you. No persuasion or recruitment needed. The point isn't where or why. The point is just being with you. How simple is that?! Compare that to what goes through my mind when asked to accompany anyone on an excursion... let's see, can I afford the time? Will this be valuable to me? Will it be fun or rewarding in any way? Do I owe this person some time for time they've given me? And on and on. You know the internal drill...you do it too! For a dog it's as simple as "take me with you!"

I've come to call this the gift of "presence." And it is a rare gift between humans. It is my theme for 2010. It is also as foreign to my hyperactive, ADD brain as tits on a bull...(Oh, here I go again!) Now, sit me down as a counselor in a padded room and I can conjure up "presence" with the best of my professional peers, but turn me loose in the wilds of real life and I am about as "present" as a pinball freshly sproinged. (Told you I can coin a word when necessary!) Koda is my guru for this journey toward "presence." He gazes at me adoringly, notices the nuances of my facial expressions, adjusts himself to my body language and effectively communicates without words that I am absolutely the center of his universe for this moment in time. How utterly (don't think cow) enhancing this is to my self esteem.

I want to give this gift to the people God brings into my life to love. It requires me to shut off all competing stimuli, external and internal. It requires me to hear their heart as well as their words. But most of all it requires me to so genuinely love them that both of these previous "skills" are natural responses, born of my deep valuing of them. Nothing contrived or forced, just purebred affection. To be honest, that is totally beyond me...I mean the loving part. Can't conjure that kind of love up on my own. But I have my moments of genuine "presence" despite my love limitations. They come when I forget myself. They come when I ditch my agenda. They come when a spark of inspiration enables me to see that person through the eyes and heart of God. Suddenly they are the center of the universe for a moment in time. I transcend myself as God's love for them takes over.

I used to be about achieving specific goals...the kind of stuff that looks stellar on a resume. But now it has become moments. Moments of "presence." Moments of making those around me feel like no one else exists as we talk and share our lives. I suck at it, but at least it is now on my radar (could have said "barking up the right tree," but I didn't!) Like Koda, I just want to say "take me with you" as offers to journey together are shouted or whispered by those I love. The point isn't where or why, it is just truly being "present."