The Gift We Can Always Bring
photograph by Marcus Woodbridge
by Barbara Richards
“Your presence is the most precious gift you can give to another human being.”
— Marshall Rosenberg
What if the greatest impact we can have in these turbulent times doesn’t come from what we do?
So many storms are swirling around us. I don’t need to name all the challenges we’re navigating—both in our personal lives and in the wider world. Many of us on a spiritual path feel called to bring our light forward in greater ways. We long to help, yet often there is little we can actually change. In moments like these, we feel most helpless—caught between how deeply we care and the limits of our influence.
And yet, even when we feel adrift, there is always a gift we can bring: our Presence.
Yesterday I experienced the transforming touch of Presence through a friend. As I shared my deep worry and angst about a loved one facing a serious health challenge, my friend met me with a quiet steadiness—a calm, healing stillness. Her Presence, like a lighthouse, guided me back to my centre, to a deeper spiritual strength. I became rooted in love again. I remembered that my loved one and I are held by something deeper than circumstance.
Perhaps you have been touched by Presence recently, too. In turbulent times, Presence steadies us. It quiets the reactive mind and anchors us in something deeper than fear. We can then respond with clarity rather than be swept away by worry and chaos.
And from that place, something shifts.
When we are present, we begin to meet others differently. We hold space without rushing to change what’s unfolding. We listen without needing to fix. We offer warmth and sincerity to the person in front of us. We become a sanctuary—someone with whom others can feel safe in the unknown, hear their own inner wisdom, and find the courage to take their next step.
I believe this is part of the call for those of us in the second half of life. In a culture that values productivity and youth, aging is often framed as decline. But there is another possibility. We can become steadier, wiser, more compassionate, and more spiritually anchored. We can become a lighthouse of calming Presence in our families, our communities, and our world.
In the storms of life, we may not be able to change everything. But we can always bring the gift of who we are. And that matters more than we realize.
Barbara Richards
first awakened to the possibility of aging as a spiritual path in her late fifties. It was life transforming. She is passionate about guiding others in living a vibrant, creative and fulfilling third chapter of life. Barbara is a life / work coach with over two decades of experience in private practice (visionworkcoaching.com) and a certified Sage-ing leader with Sage-ing International (sage-ing.org)
She is also a spiritual director who completed the Pacific Jubilee SoulGuiding Program in 2020. Read about Barbara’s spiritual direction practice here.
