Christine Baranski

I said, you've got to show up.

When you're a performing artist, your job is to bring joy.

your best physical, vocal, emotional, psychic, spiritual self onto a stage.

If you're a musician, if you're a dancer, if you're an actor, if it's stage, if it's screen, you have to be present.

And in an age where we're so distracted with these damn telephones and everything, it's getting harder for people to really be present.

But the value of presence means that you are living in the moment and so you're available to everything that's happening.

And it's a great gift.

You're aware of other people when they're very present.

You're attracted to those people because they're there.

Simone Weil, the great Catholic mystic, was quoted as saying, the greatest gift you can give another human being is your total attention.

Like what I'm giving you right now and you're giving me.

And it's what I give my grandsons.

When I'm with them, my greatest gift is to just be with them.

Like my nana was with me.

She was totally present with me.

Well, I should thank Julian.

Now I want to be a friend.

Can you give my regards to the king and say he was a lesson in grace and authenticity and generosity?

And we Americans felt blessed to have that on our soil.

We are badly in need of that.