【“在场”的力量】力量场

iwasrecentlyremindedofthisbeliefwheniandseveralotherredcrossvolunteersmetagroupof1）evacueesfrom2）hurricanekatrina.wewerethere，asmentalhealthprofessionals，tooffer“psychologicalfirstaid.”despiteallthetraininginhowto“3）debrief，”toeducateabout4）stressreactions，andto5）screenforthoseneedingtherapy，iwasstruckagainbythesimplehealingpowerofpresence.evenaswewalkedinthegatetotheshelter，weweregreetedwithan6）ardentburstofgratitudefromthefirstpersonweencountered.ifeltappreciated，butvaguelyguilty，becauseihadn’treallydoneanythingyet.

presenceisanoun，notaverb;itisastateofbeing，notdoing.statesofbeingarenothighlyvaluedinaculturewhichplacesahighpriorityondoing.yet，truepresence，or“beingwith”anotherperson，carrieswithitasilentpower―tobearwitnesstoapassage，tohelpcarryanemotionalburden，ortobeginahealingprocess.init，thereisanintimateconnectionwithanotherthatisperhapstooseldomfeltinasocietythatstrivesforever-faster“7）connectivity.”