Little Things|
"The opposite of love is indifference."
-The Lumineers
Tonight, on this lovely, crisp evening, I have decided to write about the little things. Life has a funny way of stealing us away, of grabbing our attention and shifting our perspective from things of importance and instead distracting us with things of priority.
My life has seemed to be a rather long list of priorities as of late. Inspiration had run dry, my body had been sleep deprived and I, most of all, was unmotivated. It was like standing outside of a movie theatre and looking at the poster advertising the movie and thinking that by just looking at it, I knew the entire plot. As we very well know, life is not a movie poster, or much less a movie, but I thought the metaphor would aid in the explanation.
I gave a piece of advice to a friend the other day who was lamenting their need to constantly rush through things. How they had this list in their head of things that needed to be done, when there was no one standing over their shoulder telling them what to do. I told them, "It's not about just about the destination, it's also about the journey."
Wise words, that I myself needed to absorb just as much as them.
I love making lists. I have lists for my chores, for my weeks, for my schedules. I love the feeling of accomplishment with the checkmark on the page, the feeling of fulfillment. But life isn't a series of priorities. It is not numbered, alphabetized or categorized.
I love the line in that song "Stubborn Love" by the Lumineers where they talk about how the opposite of love is indifference. Contrary to belief, hate is not the opposite of love. Being unloving, is being indifferent. Separating yourself from a situation because you would rather avoid the conflict, then do the loving thing and resolve it. Or distancing yourself from a place of growth because you would rather be comfortable then challenged. And giving no room for grace in a relationship because you would rather be right then accept the truth.
I titled this post "Little Things" because I lose sight of them often. I live forwardly, with anticipation and hope. Looking at the horizon in the distance instead of seeing the sand beneath my feet, feeling the breeze in my hair or hearing the infectious laughter of a sweet boy.
Tonight, I spent some time by the river. The benches around me were empty, the water calm and the sunset an array of pinks and purples. It was a series of moments where I was just grateful to be alive. It was untouched.
Lately, I have found that pride has made a way into my heart. It has appeared in subtle ways, bringing along with it entitlement and greed. The opposite of pride is humility. As I sat on the river bank tonight, I found that I was sitting in a state of surrender, acknowledging that I am no super woman, I arrived where I am, yes, by working hard, but also by the love of so many people.
Life is not something that is deserved. It is not something we fell into because we got lucky or "won the lottery". Life is a gift, each breath we take, each brush or warmth our bodies feel, each tear that falls from our face.
We are alive. What a miracle.
If you are reading this, you are alive. And all the little things in your life have lead you to this place: good and bad. I pray that as I move forward in my journey, that I continue to acknowledge that is in not about the big, majestic things in our lives, but rather of all the beautiful little things.
-The Lumineers
Tonight, on this lovely, crisp evening, I have decided to write about the little things. Life has a funny way of stealing us away, of grabbing our attention and shifting our perspective from things of importance and instead distracting us with things of priority.
My life has seemed to be a rather long list of priorities as of late. Inspiration had run dry, my body had been sleep deprived and I, most of all, was unmotivated. It was like standing outside of a movie theatre and looking at the poster advertising the movie and thinking that by just looking at it, I knew the entire plot. As we very well know, life is not a movie poster, or much less a movie, but I thought the metaphor would aid in the explanation.
I gave a piece of advice to a friend the other day who was lamenting their need to constantly rush through things. How they had this list in their head of things that needed to be done, when there was no one standing over their shoulder telling them what to do. I told them, "It's not about just about the destination, it's also about the journey."
Wise words, that I myself needed to absorb just as much as them.
I love making lists. I have lists for my chores, for my weeks, for my schedules. I love the feeling of accomplishment with the checkmark on the page, the feeling of fulfillment. But life isn't a series of priorities. It is not numbered, alphabetized or categorized.
I love the line in that song "Stubborn Love" by the Lumineers where they talk about how the opposite of love is indifference. Contrary to belief, hate is not the opposite of love. Being unloving, is being indifferent. Separating yourself from a situation because you would rather avoid the conflict, then do the loving thing and resolve it. Or distancing yourself from a place of growth because you would rather be comfortable then challenged. And giving no room for grace in a relationship because you would rather be right then accept the truth.
I titled this post "Little Things" because I lose sight of them often. I live forwardly, with anticipation and hope. Looking at the horizon in the distance instead of seeing the sand beneath my feet, feeling the breeze in my hair or hearing the infectious laughter of a sweet boy.
Tonight, I spent some time by the river. The benches around me were empty, the water calm and the sunset an array of pinks and purples. It was a series of moments where I was just grateful to be alive. It was untouched.
Lately, I have found that pride has made a way into my heart. It has appeared in subtle ways, bringing along with it entitlement and greed. The opposite of pride is humility. As I sat on the river bank tonight, I found that I was sitting in a state of surrender, acknowledging that I am no super woman, I arrived where I am, yes, by working hard, but also by the love of so many people.
Life is not something that is deserved. It is not something we fell into because we got lucky or "won the lottery". Life is a gift, each breath we take, each brush or warmth our bodies feel, each tear that falls from our face.
We are alive. What a miracle.
If you are reading this, you are alive. And all the little things in your life have lead you to this place: good and bad. I pray that as I move forward in my journey, that I continue to acknowledge that is in not about the big, majestic things in our lives, but rather of all the beautiful little things.
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"We're taught to remember only the significant moments- the rites of passage. In truth, the smallest steps that get us these momentous occasions are just as significant. Looking back, we see it's not just the high points, but the low points that also define who we are and who we will become."
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