I was talking with a friend last night about relationships and love and was struck by an expression...
In describing a moment of tenderness with another person, he referred to something she did as one of those "tiny lovely things". It struck me immediately as a very delicate and expressive description of what he'd experienced with her. In trying to navigate the complicated and nuanced language of love, he touched on a component that resonates with, I think, all people with any sense of connection to their sensitive selves. Tiny lovely things are what make us smile, what warm us from within and brighten even the grayest day. A gentle brush of fingers across a lovers arm, the warm act of feeding a friend a tiny carrot freshly picked from the garden when it's not expected, a sweet smile across a crowded room. It's the tiny things that matter. When offered to someone needing attention or reassurance, they land with such profound force and are felt long after the moment's passed. They're the moments we replay in our minds as we drift off to sleep at peace with ourselves and our universe.
Tiny lovely things can be shared with strangers - a smile on the street for someone not accustomed to receiving any, spending time to express interest in someone's day rather than just hurrying off after the obligatory "How are ya?", a hug for no reason other than it's just nice to share a hug. These things don't require much effort, just a little caring in someone else's world. Reminding someone to not forget their peach as they head out the door, simply because you like knowing that they'll be happy later that they have it, is one of those things - tiny lovely expressions that we're all in this together and we care.
With all the details of everyday life and living it's easy to forget our potential for these simple acts of kindness and caring that we all possess. When we feel them offered up by another, it can be transforming, if only for a moment. It's getting lost in those moments, that truly define us as human and makes our lives worth living.
Not so tiny after all.
~B
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3 comments:
Aw shucks..........I opened your blog tonight with the hopes of finding yet more bikini bike wash pictures! All I got was some mushy chick stuff. ;-)
Just kiddin' ! This is exactly the kind of philosophical stuff that we, your fans, expect to read on your lucky adventure corn flake trip. Keep it coming and let us know when your manuscript is ready to proof before it heads off to your publisher.
Oops. Gotta run. Liza's done on the potty and I've gotta wipe her bum! She's such a tiny, lovely thing!
JM
What a wonderful reminder! Just yesterday some friends and I were reminiscing about some of our nicest memories, and we laughed at how most of them required little to no money. Classic examples of when little is much. Great blog entry! Have a fantastic day! :}
Thank you for your words of encouragement. It means a lot to me to know that I'm making sense and getting through. ~B
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