I was fourteen when I learned first-hand about the
POWER of PRESENCE.
That year, I had joined my high school's tall flag team.
Parading alongside the marching band, in tight, black spandex
that hugged my developing form, and counting hash marks,
while keeping time to the tune of the band and spinning, flipping and jazz running with flags, rifles and swords, was an art form that kept me bumbling and feeling awkward for an entire school
year. Still, I persisted and, every Friday night during the fall season,
I could bee found on the football field at halftime, performing or practicing my skills.
One night, our entire unit was headed out of the stadium. Marching in formation,
we were taught to keep our heads forward and our gaze focused. "Don't break your
concentration," was our mantra. Usually, and especially when we saw our friends,
we would lose our focus and look at these others with sheepish smiles
or a wave of our hands. It's hard to be serious when one is a teenager!
On this evening, however, there was a photographer stationed along the western end of the
field, capturing images on her camera. I recall noticing her out of the corner of my eye as she turned the lens of the camera in our direction and, for some strange reason, I challenged myself not to look in her direction. I forced myself to remain present - with my left, gloved hand holding the top of my tall flag, and my eyes trained on the girl's head in front of me. I didn't waver in my resolve. Yet, I also had no clue what was motivating me because I didn't think that she would take my picture.
Yet, that she did and that photograph ended up on the cover of our school handbook for the entire next school year. My beet-red, side-profile became a take-home memento for hundreds of my peers. It was posted on my teacher's classroom windows and I would find it under classroom seats, where some hooligan drew a mustache on my chiseled face. "Ha, funny!" I would laugh, with a flip of my hand. It was quite an experience to taste the sweet fruit that resulted in my simply choosing presence - in lieu of distraction - for a few, short moments of time.
Today, I sub-consciously employ this same "strategy" when I am engaged in life-affirming dialogue with others. I commit my whole self to the moments at hand and, as a result, I "win" a LOVE and a loyalty that is mine for safe keeping.
I highly recommend you try it for yourself!
