By Elisabeth Fayt, Founder of rnr Wellness
My father passed away eleven years ago, and little did I know before he left this world, he would leave me with profound advice that would last a lifetime.
My father was very active in my Spa. He would often be seen folding robes, fixing things or just helping out wherever needed. One day we were leaving together so I offered him a ride home. As soon as we got into the car, I received a hands-free phone call and proceeded to hold (what I thought to be at the time) a very important business conversation, which ended just as we arrived at our destination. As I dropped him off, he looked me straight into the eyes and said “Elisabeth, you are far too busy.” I laughed it off, thinking of course it was my dad’s way of telling me he was proud of me.
A week later, he was gone.
The longing for that time in the car again with his undivided attention left me in a state of deep introspection. I found myself asking 3 questions: What is the point of my life? Why am I doing what I do? And who’s it all for? I continued asking these questions, and as the months went on, I kept getting different answers. I finally came to a conclusion far different than expected. I realized it simply didn’t matter. Instead, the message was this:
The most important person is the one in front of you, and the most important task is the one you are doing.
From the moment of this epiphany came a change of life that I will do my best to describe here. To be frank, I became fully present, almost instantly; present to the one in front of me; and present to the task at hand. I became a better wife, mother and friend. My business began to flourish without effort. My intuition became heightened. I made better decisions, and less mistakes. I significantly altered what I deemed important.
The price I paid for this golden nugget, I do not wish upon anyone. I had to lose something dear to me to gain what was rightfully mine, a life of mindfulness. I share this experience so that others may learn from it. You have no idea what you miss right in front of you, when your focus is on something else. I saw a bumper sticker that reminds me of this great lesson: “Be here now. Be somewhere else later.” Take heed, because the person in front of you needs your undivided attention. Only you can give that.
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