The Gift of Simple Presence (28 Oct 2025)

The Gift of Simple Presence 

I spent an entire day at a cafe nestled in a beautiful place with serene parks and gardens, with a very dear and wise friend - someone I look up to deeply. We shared simple vegetarian food, coffee, cakes, and buns. Nothing elaborate. Yet I found myself in awe the whole day.

This image captured something I felt but couldn't quite name. The lotus flowers in their various shades - pink, purple, peach - arranged simply within a golden circle. A small landscape of driftwood, ceramic, and nature. Through the mirror, everything felt complete, contained, perfect in its simplicity.

Simplicity reveals what truly matters. No fancy menu, no elaborate plans. Just presence, conversation, and nourishment - for body and soul. When we strip away complexity, what remains is often more than enough. The simple fare became extraordinary because of the company, the setting, the quality of attention we brought to the moment.

Beauty doesn't need to announce itself. This arrangement sat quietly in the cafe, unassuming. The lotus flowers - symbols of purity rising from muddy waters - didn't demand attention. They simply were. True beauty, like true wisdom, often speaks in whispers. My friend embodies this - her wisdom shared gently over coffee and cake, her presence a gift wrapped in ordinary moments.

Gratitude transforms seeing into truly seeing. I could have walked past this display without noticing. But gratitude had opened my eyes that day - grateful for time with someone I admire, grateful for the peaceful space surrounded by nature, grateful for the simple pleasures of food and conversation. When our hearts are full of appreciation, everything becomes luminous. The ordinary becomes sacred.

Sometimes a whole day of presence with the right person, in the right place, is all we need to remember what life is really about.

What simple moment filled you with unexpected awe recently?

#Mindfulness #Gratitude #Simplicity #Friendship #Beauty #Nature #Presence

🌷 from Linda's desk @ Tulip Meadows 🌷