The Little Things

There are so many little things in life that go unnoticed but make very huge impacts.  Many people choose to ignore these things and move on with life, focusing only on the more visible and big things that happen around us.

I love simple little things that when you think back on, you can smile and giggle and maybe shed a little tear(if you are like me).  Let me see if I can remember some little things that have brought a smile and occasional tears to my eyes...

Once, i used to visit an orphanage and play with the kids there, sometimes, I'd dress them after a bath and return them to their cradles.  I remember a particular child, i had just dressed him and was carrying him to his cradle when he wrapped his two tiny hands around my neck and held on so tight to me, it was the most gentle and genuine hug i had received in a long time, in that hug i could hear that child say me "Love me, don't leave me".  At that point, my heart skipped and i thought I'd never drop him, but i had another child to dress, so with regret, i dropped him and he started wailing, i tried calming him, but he kept crying, my heart broke at that point but i still had to dress the other children.  I can tell you that sometimes, i still feel his arms around me.  Children  show the most genuine and purest form of love... seriously, think about it and you'll see how true it is, no wonder God says we should approach him like children and he said except we have hearts like these little ones, will not enter the kingdom of God.

Again, i remember Lizzy, a tiny little baby in the same orphanage, she had AIDS, she was so skinny and fragile, i thought she would break.  I held her tenderly as i dressed her.  She kept looking at me, her eyes spoke volumes, like she was saying goodbye to me or trying to capture my face so she won't forget it, am not sure what she was doing.  But after that day, i travelled and returned after a week only to learn that she died that very day, the only consolation i had was that i prayed for her that day before I left.... but i can't forget her eyes, i see her in the eyes of little children and that little experience has taught me to always appreciate life and other people around me cos you never know when you will never see them again.

Enough about kids even though i have so many stories about them, did i mention that one of those lovely children in the orphanage walked up to me one day and called me 'Mama'.  Oh how my heart soared that day. These little memories keep me going many days when i am depressed, I can look back at them and remember that there are people who long to have the kind of life I have; a complete family, food on my table, health and lots of other things.  I can appreciate life in many ways and see people in a different light.  Most importantly are the lessons i have learnt from them.

There are so many other little things, the list is endless... could be a smile that made your day, a hug you received at a point you thought you could not go on, an encouraging word, help at the nick of time, a near death experience, help you rendered that saved a life, forgiveness, acceptance, even the blessings of having friends who love you unconditionally(by the way, when was the last time you really appreciated your friends?).... like i said the list is endless....

A wise man once said that life isn't made up of big events but the little uncounted, unnoticed things that happen around us. If you think back on these things, you will see that you learnt one of the biggest lessons in life or that singular simple and little events was the catalyst to a great success story that you have.

Try not to ignore the little things that come along your way in life, hold them and learn all you can from it, for life really isn't made up big things, but the little seemingly insignificant, unnoticed, tiny, simple things that happen to us.  This little note is just like one of those little things.... :)