It's almost summer and it always makes me realize the amazement of the circle of life. Each winter, we watch trees and animals crawl into hibernation. We lock ourselves in our homes, turn up the thermostats, and grumble while we wait for spring.
Once spring is sprung, we look around in amazement at all the changes in colors and sounds. The world suddenly looks cleaner and crisper, but it’s not really “all of a sudden”. It’s not an overnight metamorphosis. The change is small and gradual over a 3 month span.
The ground warms a bit, the soil thaws. The trees warm a bit, the buds sprout. The days grow longer, the animals start their birds and bees--you know what I mean… tiny steps lead to an amazing orchestra of sights, sounds and scents that tickle our senses each and every year. The same holds true in our own lives if we take the time and are aware enough to notice the little things.
As adults, we assume so often that we’ve “maxed” out our abilities. We’ve reached the end of our roads and we’re not going to move ahead any further. When I talk to folks who hold this opinion, I’m struck with a sense of challenge and a small bit of sadness (the challenge almost always overrides the sadness, however.) We forget that we weren’t born running, reading, or working math problems. We forget that our journey through life is a culmination of little things making up a larger package that we present to the world.
When was the last time you noticed any of the following:
-Your spouse made lunch for you? You made lunch for your spouse?
-Your children did a little extra chore… without being asked?
-You straightened a tie for a loved one?
-You held a door for someone?
-You gave a flower to a random person?
-You bought a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line at McDonalds?
Remember the movie “Pay It Forward”? The entire theme of the movie was doing kind acts for others because it comes around. Taking pride in little things is very much the same… when notice and appreciate the little things, we realize there are a WHOLE LOT of little things and voila, suddenly we have a life of filled with gratitude.
Each of us can find something to be grateful for within ourselves, our children or our communities. With the recognition of the little achievements, we're motivated to look a little deeper and with kinder eyes at those around us.
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