Presence Matters

I am moved and inspired by recent remembrances of Ted Kennedy’s life and accomplishments. Something in the stories of who he was and how he lived has stirred something deep within me.

He was clearly a man who believed in redemption. He lived a full life – full-hearted, full of mistakes. Yet he was also full of integrity, and the belief that the world could be a better place if he worked to make it so.

He was brought to his knees many times throughout his career, physically, emotionally and politically. Yet each time, his capacity to recover and come back better enabled him to go on.

He had more loss and responsibility placed on his shoulders than most people experience in three lifetimes. What’s more impressive is what he did in response.

Yes, he grieved deeply. But each time he chose to pick up the torch and go on, strengthening his commitment to what he stood for – a better world where the voiceless get heard, where the poor are remembered, and where healthcare is universal and not a just privilege for those who can afford it.

Senator Kennedy was clearly a lifelong learner not afraid to try new things. With each mistake he made and each loss he suffered, he didn’t just endure them. He did not become more callous.

He grew from each experience no matter how painful, and he grabbed life more fully in the aftermath. His legacy of five decades of vital legislation and lasting friendships on both sides of the aisle bear witness to that fact.

He had another valuable trait that we all need to remember, especially now. He knew how to reach out for the resources he needed every step of the way.

His wife Victoria is credited with being a powerful resource that saved his life. The staff he trusted implicitly was a resource that made his work possible. Spending time on the ocean was a resource that renewed and healed him. Over and over, he connected with healthy resources that allowed him to carry on.

Someone shared that his generous spirit called those around him to higher ground, and to release their pettiness when there were differences between them. In story after story, I heard how he showed up for his friends, colleagues and family members in their own times of need and loss. He literally showed up at the door, called repeatedly, or used his presence to get them the help they needed.

Ted Kennedy was a man of tremendous presence, born from a family imbued with an essence that mandated them to “do good” and create a better world. He clearly contributed to that. But what’s impressed me most was his hard work and unflagging persistence in “staying the course,” day in and day out, for more than five decades in the Senate.

He used his gifts and he persisted. And his presence grew from that.

When all is said and done, Ted Kennedy’s hard work and daily commitment to what he believed in left us with a legacy like none other.

As bodyworkers, we have a tremendous amount to give in the “do good” department. Now I’m even more inspired to make a difference in all ways, large and small, in my own world given my gifts.

None of us is perfect or even close. Ted Kennedy is a testament to that, too. But what we do supports health. What we do helps people relax and relieve themselves of pressure. What we do reduces stress and helps people manage their lives better.

We help them feel more at home in the incredible navigational system of their bodies. And living from inside their bodies leads to wiser decisions, better self-esteem, more creativity and more joy. That’s a vital role we serve in healthcare, now and in the coming decades.

So your mandate, should you choose to accept it, is to stay your own course. Grab life with both hands and live it. Grow from the adversity life hands you and learn from it all.

Learn to take care of yourself. People are depending on you.

And persist. Keep sharing your gifts. When the time comes, your eulogy will be filled with what you want it to say – all the ways in which you made a positive difference in your world.

In the meantime…enjoy!

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