The Gift of Being There

Last night, Tara and I went to a Notre Dame women’s basketball game with my parents.

No agenda.
No rush.
Just the simple gift of being together and enjoying something we all love.

As we got to our seats, we ended up sitting in front of two long-time educators, one from from my high school—people who played meaningful roles in our community. As we talked, the web of connections became clear. Shared stories. Overlapping seasons. People who had intersected my life long before I ever knew what ministry would look like.

It was fun. And it was meaningful in a quiet way.

It reminded me of something simple but easy to forget:

Doing things with people is often more memorable—and more formative—than providing things for people.

Time spent can matter more than money spent.
Presence often outweighs provision.
And when time and memories are the investment, the money involved is rarely wasted—it’s matched, and often multiplied, by shared moments.

Those kinds of moments don’t always feel significant in the moment. They aren’t loud. They aren’t flashy. But they linger. They shape us. They remind us that relationships are built in shared spaces, not just generous gestures.

Last night was a good reminder that sometimes the best gift isn’t what you give—it’s simply being there.

And that’s worth carrying with you today.