Today I woke up with a shooting pain in my neck and shoulder that made it impossible to move my head or move much of anything else without tears welling in my eyes. After some ice and ibuprofen, I was able to get dressed and get to church, but I was unable to do anything with my hair. My friend Shelley didn't even miss a beat when I held up my hair band and asked her if she would please put my hair into a ponytail. It was a small act, but her willingness to help me with such a simple task made me feel cared for and loved.
I hope I can return the favor someday, if needed, and I hope I will always jump as readily as she did to another person's aid--be it a big or small need.
10.28.2012
10.25.2012
The small things: October 25
Today one of our customers who hadn't stopped in for a while made a big deal out of the fact that I remembered she likes lots of room for cream in her medium size, medium roast coffee. Though I consider it part of my job to remember what customers like, I was glad such a small thing could make her feel so special.
10.24.2012
The small things: October 24
Today I watched a presentation about four guys on a 40-day expedition to traverse, from north to south, Alaska's Denali Peak. All told, they climbed 41,000 vertical feet, 18,000 of which were roped, technical climbing. In comparison, Everest, the tallest peak in the world, involves just under 15,000 feet of roped, technical climbing. Though the elevation difference between Denali and Mount Everest is 9,000 feet (Denali is 20,328 feet, and Everest is 29,000 feet), the feat these four guys completed was more than commendable. They endured temperatures of 50 degrees below zero, winds gusting to 90 miles per hour, frost bite on their faces, and days, a week even, stuck inside a tent holding the walls up so their house wouldn't blow away.
This expedition was 11 years in the dreaming and two years in the planning, so obviously sheer drive helped them summit successfully. However, I did notice many "small things" in the videos that I'm sure kept them going moment by moment.
They did robot disco moves on knife-edge ridges to make the others laugh for a few steps up the mountain.
On the summit, they turned their cameras on each other to allow others to speak words of victory instead of hogging the glory.
They literally carried each others' loads when one or another was too sick to carry his own.
In reality, it never is truly about the summit. It is about the journey through spectacular sunrises and deathly cold whiteouts--together, supporting each other, every step of the way.
This expedition was 11 years in the dreaming and two years in the planning, so obviously sheer drive helped them summit successfully. However, I did notice many "small things" in the videos that I'm sure kept them going moment by moment.
They did robot disco moves on knife-edge ridges to make the others laugh for a few steps up the mountain.
On the summit, they turned their cameras on each other to allow others to speak words of victory instead of hogging the glory.
They literally carried each others' loads when one or another was too sick to carry his own.
In reality, it never is truly about the summit. It is about the journey through spectacular sunrises and deathly cold whiteouts--together, supporting each other, every step of the way.
10.23.2012
The small things: October 23
Today I saw a young man helping an old lady cross the street.
Today my boyfriend opened the car door for me.
Today my boyfriend opened the car door for me.
The small things, an intro
Something I'm consistently surprised by in life is how much the small things really do matter.
A bright smile in the middle of a grumpy day.
An encouraging hand on a shoulder.
An opened door when hands are full.
It is these small acts that can make a bad day a little better and a good day even greater. Conversely...
A roll of the eyes when backs were thought to be turned.
A grunt instead of a word or ten in reply.
A conversation during another's turn to talk.
These small acts can make a bad day worse and a good day grumpy.
I think these small things really being big things is a matter of...acknowledgement. Or perhaps respect. Or perhaps another more encompassing word I can't think of right now. Positive small acts say from one human to another, "I see you. I care that you exist. I honor you as at least equal to myself, or, as the Bible commands, as better than myself (Philippians 2:3)." Negative acts say, "I may or may not see you, and either way, I don't care."
Lately I have been the glad recipient and giver of positive small acts of kindness. I have also been the disgruntled recipient and ashamed giver of negative small things. These small things have mattered, and thus, I think I'll write about them for a while.
I don't wish to be petty or to keep a record of wrongs, so I'll steer clear of the bad small things unless one seems worth addressing. What I mainly want to do is keep a running record of at least one small thing I see or experience each day. I don't know how long I'll maintain this list of small things, and I can see this morphing into other blog ideas, but I do know that I want to keep observing and writing and sharing any small bits of life and wisdom God gives me to share. It's good to be back, dear readers. I've missed you.
A bright smile in the middle of a grumpy day.
An encouraging hand on a shoulder.
An opened door when hands are full.
It is these small acts that can make a bad day a little better and a good day even greater. Conversely...
A roll of the eyes when backs were thought to be turned.
A grunt instead of a word or ten in reply.
A conversation during another's turn to talk.
These small acts can make a bad day worse and a good day grumpy.
I think these small things really being big things is a matter of...acknowledgement. Or perhaps respect. Or perhaps another more encompassing word I can't think of right now. Positive small acts say from one human to another, "I see you. I care that you exist. I honor you as at least equal to myself, or, as the Bible commands, as better than myself (Philippians 2:3)." Negative acts say, "I may or may not see you, and either way, I don't care."
Lately I have been the glad recipient and giver of positive small acts of kindness. I have also been the disgruntled recipient and ashamed giver of negative small things. These small things have mattered, and thus, I think I'll write about them for a while.
I don't wish to be petty or to keep a record of wrongs, so I'll steer clear of the bad small things unless one seems worth addressing. What I mainly want to do is keep a running record of at least one small thing I see or experience each day. I don't know how long I'll maintain this list of small things, and I can see this morphing into other blog ideas, but I do know that I want to keep observing and writing and sharing any small bits of life and wisdom God gives me to share. It's good to be back, dear readers. I've missed you.
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