Being present for others takes practice

Much of my job involves being present for others in a helpful way. A colleague arrives with a dilemma or an opportunity. They spell it out for me in their own terms and I repeat back what I hear. I listen for strengths first, and then places where alignment may be off. Then we chat it out toward a good next step or resolution.

I appreciate people. Mostly I find us fascinating and I’ve experienced enough suffering to know that being there for each other is really all there is. It’s no wonder I gravitated to the arts as a profession. Subjectivity is lovely.

I strengthen my own presence through artistic practice. Paying very close attention to ideas and words. Iterating concepts in multiple forms. Bending shape back into language where it has gone stiff. I do it primarily to make sense of the world for myself, but it also prepares me to be present with others.