“Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.” ― Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
The summer that I was 14 my family moved from Ohio to Indiana due to my father’s transfer at work. We sold our house and had to rent one temporarily until school ended and we could find a new house in Indiana.
The house we rented was a few miles from my grandmother and that summer I rode my bicycle around town during the day and would stop by her house to rest and get something to drink. I would sit and talk with her a while and then head home.
In my late 30’s, I was at a family gathering and my grandmother was there. She said, “Remember when you used to ride your bicycle to my house and spend time with me. I really enjoyed that.”
I was quite surprised. I had never realized that it meant enough to her that she would mention it over 20 years later.
So, to me it had been a little thing and yet to her it was a little thing. It made that incident much bigger to me in that moment too.
Recently my friend, Lisa Benitz, (of Creating Conscious Spaces™) reminded me to be grateful for the simplest of things in life, things I often take for granted.
It reminded me of that incident and how much a small, simple thing can mean to someone else or to me later.
In 2020 and 2021 that I noticed that I have found much more gratitude for the simple things. I ask you to take a moment to reflect upon those simple joys. The small things that are so amazing and can bring so much pleasure, amazement, and wonder. Things like:
- Butterflies – watching them flit around and their entire life process from caterpillar to butterfly has been amazing these past few years!
- Watching the sunrise and set is phenomenal
- Walking on the beach
- Seeing dolphins play in the water
- Watching birds and squirrels play on our backyard fence
- Seeing all the flowers bloom around us
- Watching the bees at work and at play in the flowers
- Clouds rolling by
- Clouds catching the light of the sunrise or sunset
- Listening to the rain
- Listening to the birds sing
- Listening to the squirrels chatter as they chase each other around
- Seeing the peacocks in my neighborhood as they fan their beautiful tails
- So many joys and wonders of nature.
So many things in my life too like
- The family trips we used to take
- Seeing someone smile because of something I have done
- Sharing memories with my family and friends
- Playing with my cats
And so much more.
Make a list of the little things that bring you joy and maybe the new ones that you have more appreciation for now.
And remember those things have the potential of being so much bigger later, so enjoy them always!
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Have you seen my Gratitude For Life Journal and cards?
They help you to be grateful for all you have … big and small … in your life.
The book is available on Amazon AND both the cards and book are available in my shop.
Get some Gratitude
