There is not a typo in my title. It is not to read, 'Thankful for Presents.' My 9-year old son Henry would have been happy to see those words, despite it being 28 days before the Guy in the Red Suit comes down the chimney. This year, I am thankful for presence. That is, presence of mind and a newfound appreciation for just, well, being.
I got in a small car accident on my way home from work last Friday. It was raining, and the recent time change seems to make it extra dark when I leave the NetPlus office at 5:30. There are three four-way stop signs and one three-way stop on my drive home. Easy, right? No traffic, no highways, no long commute. However, in today's society it seems that everyone is in a hurry; everyone is distracted. Not just by cell phones, but also by life and the many things that we are expected to juggle every day. My brain was in "critter mode" as writer Christine Comoford calls it, the hamster wheel mindset of constant processing and always-on-mode. So I got to the stop sign, stopped and went, but so did the other driver. Fortunately, both of us were fine and walked away from the accident with no injuries. However, I am grateful that I walked away with something more.
The accident delivered this message to me: be present. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the reminder of being dialed in to what I am doing. I am grateful for my family and the attention they give me; I will return that attention, fully. I am grateful for our amazing team at our buying group NetPlus Alliance; I will read carefully and answer constructively when my input is invited or a question is asked. And most importantly, I am grateful for the generous gifts I have been given; I will make certain that I return those gifts to those that need it most.
Thank you to all of our members, partners, friends & family. Have a healthy, happy and safe Thanksgiving.
By Jennifer Murphy
