Presence Is the Gift I’m Giving Myself
By Ramadhan Karali
Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it really means to show up for myself, for the people I care about, and for the communities I move through. We talk a lot about community, yet the real price of it is simple and uncomfortable: inconvenience and presence. Community asks you to leave your comfort zone, to be seen, to participate, to stand with others, even when your own energy is low. But there’s another part we forget. Showing up for yourself is part of the work, too. You cannot pour from an empty body. You cannot be of service while starving yourself of rest, joy, or recognition. “Love thy neighbour as thyself” only makes sense when the “thyself” part is intact. If you have no appreciation of who you are or what you carry, you end up defrauding both yourself and your neighbour.
I’ve been learning that my worth isn’t something I earn later. Van Gogh said, “If I’m worth something in the future, then I’m worth something right now. Wheat is wheat, even if people think it is grass in the beginning”.
This year has also shown me how perfection creeps into everything. Many of us don’t chase perfection because it makes us feel proud; we chase it to avoid blame. When we were kids, we were rewarded for performance, not for simply existing as ourselves. So we grew up believing we had to earn the right to be enough. We became adults who apologise for resting, who justify celebrating, who hide behind productivity because stillness feels like failure.
As a photographer, I’ve built a life around capturing other people’s memories, beautiful work, and necessary work. But somewhere along the way, I forgot the softness of simply being a guest. The joy of attending an event without carrying the responsibility of documenting the night. The freedom of being inside the moment instead of outside it, looking in through a lens. This holiday season, I want to show up for myself by choosing presence. I want to be part of the memories instead of always creating them for everyone else. I want to show up at events as a person, not a camera. I want to laugh without worrying about shutter speed, dance without thinking about composition, sit with people without scanning for light. That too is community, letting yourself belong without performing usefulness.
And remember that you are worth being in the picture too.
As the year closes, I’ve also been reflecting on the moments we rarely acknowledge. I’ve been part of 19 exhibitions and counting. I launched a photo book. I consulted for three private galleries. I travelled for work to places I never imagined I’d reach, all because of this gift I carry. And beyond my own milestones, I’m grateful, deeply, for the people around me. My friends have been building, creating, pushing boundaries, taking risks, and stepping into versions of themselves I’m proud to witness.
Their growth has fuelled mine. Their courage has reminded me what community really is: not just people who show up for you, but people who grow beside you. I’m grateful that I get to see them win, and grateful that they’ve held space for me to win too.
If this year has taught me anything, it’s that showing up isn’t only about responsibility. It’s about self-regard, gratitude, and allowing yourself to be part of something bigger. Keep choosing yourself. Keep choosing the people who choose you. Celebrate the small victories. Honour the big ones. Be grateful for the circles that carry you, and for the people whose work inspires you to rise.
Take time. Be present. Be a guest. And remember that you are worth being in the picture too.
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