Jocelyn K. Glei recently had a thought-provoking conversation with Andrienne Maree Brown in the latest episode of Hurry Slowly, where Brown offered an inspiring thought to the on-going conversation around attention:

We give minimum presence, then expect full connection.

– Adrienne Maree Brown

I’ve been chewing on this all day.

Where do I look for more connection? In my family and other relationships? Am I investing enough attention or presence to grow the kind of connections I’d hope for?

I notice that I offer fractured attention to most tasks and people these days. Interruptions and dopamine addictions pull me in a thousand directions. Even if I’m “here”, my mind can be a million miles away.

And yet, having been on the receiving end of both attention and lack thereof, I know what a gift it is to be heard, noticed, listened to, and given the time of day.

And today, this gift is more valuable than ever.

I’m not all about new year’s resolutions, but I have an aspiration for today: to offer more presence to the things and the people who matter.

We’ll see what happens with that.