“He sweeps her hair back from her ears and he swings her above his head. He says she is his émerveillement, he says he will never leave her, not in a million years.” – Anthony Doerr

It has been seven years since I lost my dad, Roy. While he left us in the present, his presence lives on, lingering in my new daughter’s eyes, torn wool sweaters, and memories of dancing in the kitchen and breakfasts on swirling stools at smelly diners.

It’s easy to feel like we aren’t enough. The demands on our hearts, our worries, and our time distract us and pull us away, at times, from what matters most. Roy was good at seeing people. He practiced intentionality when he could, and believed in the gift of presence. He wouldn’t always say much, but he showed up when he could, in ways I’ll never forget. Texts with jokes from yahoo.com, a card in the mail, and conversations with soapy hands in the sink, doing dishes together. He reminded me, presence, when practiced well, is enough.

This year, you can give the gift of being seen to those who are grieving by supporting The Dinner Party. Your dollars help create community for those of us who are living without someone who shaped us. Their presence is missing, but we can be present. Help me remember Roy hasn’t left us entirely – in his knowing of us, he lingers and lives, for the next million years.

Donate here.

Your giving can be a beautiful thing.