One of the truly blessed and unexpected lessons I’ve learned so far is how much the communities around me live in the moment. I have the opportunity to serve many different groups of people from individuals with intellectual disabilities attending day programs to people experiencing homelessness receiving meals and clothes from different outreach locations. 

What inspires me the most about these people is how much they live in the moment. They do not worry about what has happened in the past or about the future but they try to enjoy the moment we share together. 

I feel honored and seen to have their full attention as they are fully present in the moment and in our time together. I have learned to adjust my thinking and my actions to reflect back to them that I am fully present with them. Instead of worrying about the next ministry site I need to go to or the next step in my life after this year, I am trying to remind myself that the present time I have with each person I am with is so precious and should be treated as a gift. 

Although I have a long way to go, I can see the fruits of my work playing out in my spiritual and emotional wellbeing. My anxieties have decreased, my happiness has increased, and time has slowed down. I encourage you to take time today to try to live in the moment. Recognize the blessing of the people around you, the environment you are in, and be fully present.

Kristyn Demers, FVM Durham ‘22-’23