Just as one small cell atop another small cell forms life, so it is with little things. One little thing atop another little thing is what we call living, and it is those little things that we need to remember and be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Too often people focus on the big things, the things that cannot be changed, adjusted or even controlled—but the little things where we live.
’Tis not the time to discuss, argue or worry about politics, nor to talk work or what ails the country or the world. It’s time for the little things.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed in little things, once saying, “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”
Little things to be thankful for include waking up, breathing or driving home and pulling into the driveway with the car shiny-side up.
A smile, a thank you, a hug, a raindrop, a snowflake and a random act of kindness – those are all little things to focus on at Thanksgiving dinner.
Little things like the fast-food counter person saying thank you or you’re welcome, a warm smile from a passerby, a hug from a friend or family member, a drawing from a first-grader who tried her very best but couldn’t stay inside any of the lines.
Little things like a cold nose of a pet nudging to be closer to you, a chance to view the recent supermoon or going to pay the water bill only to find out you had already paid it.
Little things like a job-well-done from the boss, the car getting to the gas station after being on “e” for more miles than it should have, finding enough change in the sofa cushions to buy a large soda, or opening a box of old family pictures and discovering mom and dad were actually kids at one time, too.
Even the guru of football coaches, Vince Lombardi, focused on little things. “Inches make champions,” he has been quoted saying.
Among those little things should be family memories that are told and embellished every year. Little things like grandma trying to top the pumpkin pie with Reddi-Whip only to have the can’s nozzle pointing the wrong way and dousing grandpa’s Sunday-best shirt.
Or having mom say pass the rolls, and someone at the other end of the table picking up a roll and throwing it like Peyton Manning and then mom grabbing it one-handed Beckham style.
Everyone has some sort of holiday memory — just a little thing — that may only come out once a year, but does need to rise to the surface and make us smile.
Professor and business coach Hermann Steinherr, who loves to write, sums it up: “Our greatest achievement in life is being happy with the little things that probably mean nothing to others.”
That’s what Thanksgiving should be: Recalling a series of little things, of small memories, all building up to great joy that hopefully will spill over into the days to come.
Happy Thanksgiving!
