Put. The. Phone. Down.
Be it a colleague, a child or a friend. Nothing says I am listening more than leaving the phone alone. Hineni means, I’m fully present for you. I’m focused on you, ready and willing to hear you, to be present with you and for you.
We know what it’s like for our name to be called and give a preoccupied “yes” type response. We’re responding to the other person, and, at the same time, we’re doing something else, like reading from a device, watching TV, or talking on the phone. Because, we’re so good at multi-tasking.
What would life be like if we responded with a little more hineni? Maybe there would be more closeness in our families. PJ Library strives to extend Jewish values and knowledge to children through stories at home. We have many everyday opportunities to act in ways that proclaim "hineni".
I came across a unique one recently when a storyteller was reading a book to a young audience. Her concentration and attention to creativeness enabled a unique experience to be had by the attentive listeners. It was evident that her sole focus was on getting the moral of the story across to children in a memorable way – and her ability to practice hineni made the experience of listening to a story a wondrous event where each child felt like she was only talking to them.
Taking the time to disengage from the world of technology can nourish our relationships. Children need to feel we value our time together. Storytime is an easy way to use ‘special time’ to connect. PJ Library would be delighted to help plan an interactive storytelling session themed around a festival or Jewish value. Get in touch for more details about this and information on how you can borrow the Pop-up PJ Library for a family event in your area.
No one lives in the moment all the time - it’s not possible. But maybe we can learn to live in the moment for longer. Let’s help our family feel our presence in a more focused way.
June 17, 2016