The Best Gift You Can Give...
The Copywriter Column #84
The door makes a loud pop every time I open it, but even then, it doesn’t seem to wake him up. Neither does my soft tone beckoning him awake. What usually does it is when I flip the switch and light floods the room.
He stirs himself away, slowly.
He groans and gives me a frown.
Then a slight smile emerges with his pacifier between his teeth.
Geez, we need to wean him off that thing, I think.
Normally, I savor these moments because I know they’re short-lived. But today, in particular, I’m in a hurry. My mind’s preoccupied with other things.
My Slack notifications are popping off incessantly, clients are requesting urgent last-minute edits, and I’m behind on finishing copy for next month.
We make our way into the living room where I have his bottle prepared. As he sits in my lap, he drinks it liberally while I attempt to respond to messages on my phone.
As soon as I respond to one message, three more pop up. Question after question after question.
He’s finished with his bottle and now he wants to crawl all over me. I’m trying to focus on my screen while he’s trying to get me to focus on him.
And I stop.
I’ll never get this moment again, I say to myself. Why am I investing my attention into something so… dumb?
I toss my phone to the side and shove it between the couch cushions to not be tempted by the distractions.
Instead, I grab a book on the table, pull Pax into my lap, and we read together about dancing dinosaurs.
All that to say, the best gift you can give someone — anyone — is the gift of presence.
So as you’re reuniting with friends and family this holiday season, do yourself (and them) a favor: be fully present.
Everyone will be all the better for it.
Matt
P.S. Small programming note – this is the last Copywriter Column of 2023. I’ll be back the first week of January 2024. See you then!
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