The little things…

“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” Kurt Vonnegut

For most of my life, I’ve found joy and beauty in the little things. A bird on the wing. A wave creeping up the sand, inviting me to play. A bee gathering pollen. My soul is stirred by so many small things at times I think I may burst with joy.

My essence is triggered by my senses. An image may cause my heart to flutter. A scent may envelop me in a blissful calm. A sound may trigger memories. Many times I’m so moved by what I experience it’s hard to contain my emotions. It’s also difficult to find like-minded people. So, I keep it inside and enjoy my own thoughts.

I’ve always been a “thinker,” a dreamer. I was the student always gazing out the window, distracted by anything visual, but always listening. It’s given me powerful insight and honed an almost bottomless depth of emotion. It’s also spurred me to “do” more.

When I was teaching I often told my students that each of us possesses our own set of gifts. We should not compare ourselves to others because each of us is unique. I believed what I told them to be true as each child who sat in my classroom brought something singular to our shared experience. What was missing, in my belief, was me. So easy to recognize in others, but near impossible to discern for myself.

I’m “growing” into my gift(s). I’m learning it’s okay for me to have them and to acknowledge them. I’m tentatively becoming comfortable in sharing them. I’m opening my future to include them.

Remember the little things. A shared glance, companionable silence, the sun poking through the clouds. At any given moment we do not know how we may be impacting others. For twenty five years I tried to stand on my head each day to make connections, to inspire, to matter. And now it’s time to let it ooze in dribs and drabs, in spurts, in torrents. Fear and trepidation aside, it’s time to live with purpose and authenticity.

N.B. – this is a work in progress. My intent will become more apparent in the coming months. I’m looking forward to it. As usual, I sidestepped as I wrote, always willing to follow the tangents in my thoughts. I’d intended to write more about Vonnegut, one of my perennial favorites. Another time. “So it goes.”