Small Things Are Precious.

       "when everyday seems the same, it’s because we have stopped noticing the good         things that appear in our lives”                                                 

                                                                                                                                     -  Paulo Coelho

It’s easy to become immune to, and much less grateful for, the small things in our lives. We allow our feelings of being overwhelmed and our yearning for achievement and material satisfaction to overshadow the precious little gems of life that are all around us. In our quest to experience the more exciting "highs", we have lost sight of the fact that most of life, indeed a vast majority of it is made up of small things and moments, one right after another. Learning to appreciate these things and moments play a huge role in creating a peaceful and happy life. Although the things themselves may be small, failing to appreciate them has really big ramifications.

As big dreams and possessions play a crucial role in our life, so do the little things. Throughout our life we try to remember the big events but the value of the small events and happenings cannot be undermined as small things matter more – they are more important to make our life worth living. Very small things – a little smile, a shy thank you, a little praise can go a long way in improving the quality of our life. A simple card gifted by our best friend, a small pat by the teacher, a hug by our mother – all have an undying memory in our life. Whenever we look at the card, we think of our friends love, the teachers pat keeps us motivated for further grueling studies.  A mother’s hug is like a shower of blessings which keeps us going through the rough patches of our life.

In similar ways small things of nature such as a pretty flower, a colorful butterfly, a view of the rising sun can make our day come alive and the contentment unbeatable. Such small things are valuable assets filing our life with abundant amount of joy, happiness, peace, confidence and inspiration. A peaceful meal of simple food can be relished more, if it is cooked with love instead of eating out in a 5-star restaurant.

In the same way when we are working for the full month, a short leave or one day’s leave can relieve us in a great way. It may revitalize us for another season of fatigue and never-ending work. Another example is of a soldier who remains vigilant throughout the year. He gets only ten days leave to visit his family. The joy and happiness which he feels in these ten days can make him bear the brunt of loneliness and grueling schedule for the whole year.

To sum up, small things are often underestimated, but none can achieve greatness and success by overlooking these little things. Smile, kindness and small obligations are what give happiness to us and a sense of peace and comfort. Hence it is said that we should try to enjoy each and every bliss of little things which happen in our life. A person who celebrates only the big stuff and “highs” will have only fleeting moments of happiness, at best. On the other hand, a person who feels grateful for the small things in life will be happy a majority of the time. Virtually everywhere he looks, he will find cause for celebration.

This isn’t a prescription to pretend that things are better than they are or a suggestion that their isn’t plenty of ugliness and pain in the world. There is. What it is, however, is the acknowledgement that when you are honest and reflective about what’s important in life, it’s the smaller things that win the prize.