Those little blessings!

Yesterday I was writing cards to a few friends who are facing some difficult challenges in their lives. In the middle of a sentence, I looked at the scrawl on the page, the words I had written, and felt like my effort was incredibly insignificant. How could the words I had penned make any difference in the battles these dear ones faced? It was just a card, a message written in a few minutes, the promise of prayer and love sent from me, a small reminder that someone else knows how hard it is to press on day after day. But then, I remembered the cards that had bolstered ME day after day, arriving for months as I walked through my own valley a few years back. I loved it when my husband or daughters would bring the mail in each day and a sunny yellow or a bright pink or blue envelope would be peeking out of the pile of bills and discount offers. Those cards really DID make a difference daily and, to me, were not insignificant. I taped them to the cabinets in the kitchen and when I needed a boost I looked up at the sea of colors and inspiring words, felt the love, and pushed through another day.

Sometimes the smallest things really make the biggest difference. And people, who quietly do small things with the same love and care that they do the big things, really are the unsung heroes in a sometimes not so wonderful world. I am a people watcher. The faces and personalities around me keep me happily entertained when I find myself sitting in a crowded waiting room or standing in line at the grocery store. I especially love to people watch when the person I’m focused on isn’t aware of my attention. What people do when they don’t think people are looking says a LOT about them. I admire the person who stoops to pick up someone else’s litter and put it in the trash can, the one who allows the mom with the crying baby to step ahead of them in line, or the driver who yields patiently to a car waiting to enter the traffic lane. Those people won’t get recognized for their kindness in any big way, but they do make the world better for those around them.

Taking little blessings for granted is easy for me to do, especially with my family. My husband calling mid-morning just to check in and see how my day is going, a fresh brewed cup of coffee delivered with a smile by my daughter, the trash taken out without me asking or the dishwasher unloaded, quarters left on the table for the parking meter when I’m heading into the city, a picture of one of my grandchildren unexpectedly texted to me, and so many more little “gifts”. I never want to overlook these little blessings because they represent such great love! They say “I’m thinking of you”, “I hope you have a great day”, and they challenge me to be faithful in the small things, the things others might not see or notice.

My friends should soon receive the cards that I finished writing, addressed and mailed yesterday. Hoping those small bits of paper will make a big difference if even for few minutes, because as Mother Teresa said so well, “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love”. Here’s to the small blessings, hoping your life is full of them.