The Little Things in Life

I think it’s safe to say that we all have a bucket list, a list of places we might want to go, things we might want to buy, memories we want to make. I know for me, my husband and I have a list of places to travel, we have a board of future house inspirations, and we have a list of goals for our family.

All of these things are GOOD, it’s good to aspire, dream, and to work to make these lists start becoming your reality, but if we aren’t careful we can sometimes miss what's happening in the present moment. Our goals can at times be putting blinders on our present moment, the in the “now” moment, and the beauty in the simplicity of life all around us.

I love big things in life, big families, big trips, big dinners, the list goes on and on, but what about the little things in life, the things that we might skip over and override as normal. Have you ever had someone go out of their way for you? It could be something like buying your coffee, coming to visit you, or even holding the door for you. Too often we pass over these moments as if they are nothing.

For a moment, take yourself back to one of those recent moments, and think how did it make you feel? Now, take a moment and think of three simple things that make you happy. These little things will be different for everyone, but will hopefully bring a sense of refreshment to you. The first three things that came to my mind were; new socks, fresh sheets, and an ice cream date with my husband, all of which bring me peace and joy.

If we take for granted the little things in life, if we look over the little moments in our day to day, we face the reality of looking back on our life and realizing just how many moments we missed out on. The things we might often look at as negatives can be some of lives most beautiful gifts. What inconveniences are just small blessings? Maybe it's a rainy day, which might just be a chance to relax and slow down, or how about sitting in traffic could be a time to make that call to talk to that special someone, a time to reconnect.

These little things in life aren't so little. The small joys lead up to the joys of the big. The small joys fill our day to day, they keep us grateful.

I encourage all of us to take these little things in life and start creating these moments for someone else. Buy someone's lunch or coffee today, compliment them, call that special someone. Let’s stop waiting for the big days, the birthday parties, Christmas dinners, instead let's create a space for joy and simplicity in the ordinary seasons in our lives.