Sometimes It’s the Little Things

By Nancy Wade

It is probably an understatement to say that we have all become a little twitchy and snappish since the election. I know I have. I feel distracted and overwhelmed, irritable and alarmed. It’s a bit too much, isn’t it?

Early last week, after spending four days cooped up in the house due to the cold weather, I decided a trip somewhere – anywhere – felt essential. We moved to our new home in July and I had yet to visit the local library, so that became my destination. I would go to the library to get a new library card. Destination decided, I set out in my car, enjoying the positively magnificent blue of the Colorado sky. Many Vs of geese filled the sky. It was glorious!

As I walked into the library, a line of people was leaving, including a little boy who looked to be about 3 years old. When he passed me, he kissed his hand and flung out his arm, throwing me a kiss, making eye contact as he did so. The gesture was so sweet, so beautiful, so innocent, that I could feel a lump forming in my throat. The little boy’s Dad was behind him and I said to him, “Boy, did I ever need that today!”

I have to tell you that I have carried that virtual kiss and the visual image of the little boy with me – in my heart – since that day. It brightened my day and it continues to burn brightly in my memory.

The key to surviving the next four years and emerging intact may be in noticing the little things and creating our own moments for others. One-on-one kindness: opening a door for someone, offering to help shovel snow, dropping a cheerful card in the mail, listening – really listening – to a friend in need. These are but a few examples.

I think it is important as well to notice when others reach out with kindness or extend a helping hand. Too often we demure when others offer help. “Oh, that’s okay,” we say.

“I got this. No worries.” But when we react this way, I fear we short-circuit a connection.

It is said that only those who exhibit kindness will enter the kingdom of heaven. Hear these words from Galatians 5:21-23

. . . envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

I would argue that these ‘fruit of the spirit qualities’ are essential to our life on earth. All of us need more interactions that include these characteristics more than ever before. We need to connect with others in kind and thoughtful interactions.

It is the little things that, in the end, matter the most.