Presence Over Possessions: A Reminder of What Truly Matters
Books have a way of finding us when we are ready.
I am currently reading Messages from the Masters by Dr. Brian Weiss, a book that has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time. It was gifted to me years ago, quietly waiting. At the time, I wasn’t ready for it, and it wasn’t ready for me. That is one of the subtle truths I have come to believe about books: they open themselves to us exactly when we are meant to receive their messages. I honestly don't even know why I selected it to add to my "nightstand repertoire"...I have 2 other books I've been meaning to read, patiently waiting for me already.
As I turned the pages recently, one quote stopped me in my tracks and I immediately grabbed my phone to type it into my notes;
“You will not meet your possessions in the afterlife, but you will meet your loved ones. This thought should help you rethink your values, if necessary.” -Brian Weiss, MD
I immediately saved it to my notes to refer back to.
In a world that constantly pulls our attention toward accumulation, achievement, and productivity, this quote felt like a gentle but firm reorientation. A reminder of what matters when all the layers are stripped away.
We spend so much of our lives gathering things. Objects, titles, milestones, proof that we are doing enough or becoming enough. And while there is nothing inherently wrong with building, creating, or enjoying the material world (in fact I believe that’s part of being human and our human experience), it becomes problematic when it distracts us from presence. For me, it was especially poignant after indulging in a season of giving and worrying if it was enough and then rebuilding those honeypots of savings.
Presence is the thing that cannot be replaced or rebuilt.
It is the way we show up for the people we love. The moments we listen without distraction. The memories we create by being fully here. These are the things that weave themselves into the fabric of who we are and how we are remembered.
One day, the physical things we own will no longer belong to us. They will be passed on, donated, forgotten, or discarded into recycling bins and trash heaps. But the way we loved, the way we made others feel safe, seen, and understood...that love will live on with our memory. <3
This quote is a simple reminder to check in with our values. Not from a place of guilt or fear, but from awareness. Ask yourself these questions as a quick check-in:
Where is my energy going?
What am I prioritizing?
Am I investing more in things, or in people?
Am I present for the moments that are quietly shaping my life?
Sometimes the most powerful shifts do not come from dramatic change, but from gentle nudges from the Universe. Here's your little gentle nudge.
May we invest more in presence than in possessions. May we choose love over accumulation. May we remember that connection is the only thing that truly follows us home.
And may we trust that the messages meant for us will always find us...right on time. <3
Love & Hugs,
Jenn
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