The Little Things In Life

The other night I chased my younger brother, age eight, upstairs and into bed. After a five minute tickle fight of my brother holding me off, he finally gave in and wrapped his arms around my waist and laid his head on my chest— breathing hard. His utterly innocent comment, "I can hear your heart beating!" sent my mind reeling as a wide smile crept up to my face and a small chuckle escaped me. My brother and I sat there, his head to my chest listening to my heart beat, and our arms wrapped around each other for a good ten minutes before I tucked him in underneath his blanket and was hugged one last time, his small arms around my neck.

Small moments like the one described above, and even smaller moments in everyday life, often go unnoticed in the rush of getting here or there, making payments on this or that, and even juggling the busy schedules of our loved ones in addition to our own. In today's world it is understandably hard to "Stop and smell the roses". Everyone is go, go, go. But Life's no joke. While we're all running around in the latest versions of the Chrysler 300 Coupe or Smart for2, Life is moving on. It doesn't wait for us to stop and slow down. But it does keep moving even if we do slow down a little. So why not? If you're ten minutes late to work you're ten minutes late. Speeding's not going to help the matter, you'll still be late. Oh, and you might end up killing somebody— not exactly something I would think most people want on their conscience... OR their driving record. So why not just accept the fact that you're ten minutes late and you might get scolded by your boss, and hit the freeway like you've got time? Stop and literally smell the roses if you want to. Or even some other flower. Get friendly— it's not going to kill you (okay, it might in very extreme and rare circumstances). Reach out to someone who looks like they're in need. Offer a helping hand. And for Pete's sake (to be a bit more cliché), smile!! Believe it or not a smile in the right direction can save a person's life.

Take a look around you. Where are you? What do you hear? See? Smell? Take it all in. Notice it on purpose. Cherish it for every bit that it's worth. Because just as surely as the moment is there the moment will be gone— and probably sooner than you think. Life is full of fleeting moments— don't let them pass you by.

Life's not about to wait for an individual. It never has, it never will. But it will keep moving no matter what you're doing. So take a minute (or five) to look around you. Cherish the way the sun peeks out from behind the clouds, the way the breeze lifts your hair off your shoulders, or the various multitudes of people around you. Take in the noises that make up the music of life— both the large and the seemingly unnoticeable. Cherish a kiss on the cheek, a smile, and gently spoken words. Lock away in your memory the sound of children's laughter, padded footsteps on hardwood or tile floors, or the sound of running water in a ditch on the side of the street.

Life's not all about the material things. They're nice to have, but in famous words: "You can't take it with you." So stop for a second and cherish the small things like a five minute tickle fight and small arms wrapped around your waist, or the buzz in the supermarket and your favorite local coffee shop. Dig deep down for your sense of childlike awe and wonder and let it give you a whole new, joyous, and grateful perspective on life. Because when it all boils down, the little things in life are truly the only things that matter.

Thanks for your visit!