The photo above is of our puppy, Margot, who is a small Border Terrier who has exploded with the force of a whirlwind into our lives recently; living proof that small things matter!
I was walking Margot back from town earlier this week and began a discussion with two of our neighbours; the wife was being pushed along, in her wheelchair, by her husband. As we talked, I felt uncomfortable, not by what was being said, but by how the wife had to look up at me to speak. I apologised and crouched on the floor at her level, leaving the husband to look down at us instead.
This post is not about how to respect people in wheelchairs but rather what struck me as I continued home; how important it is to the small details in life. To be clear, I am not always this aware and considerate – ask my wife! But, and this is important, that eosin mean we should not try. The wife in the wheelchair was surprised that someone would come down to her level; she said how rare it was that people considered what it was like for someone not to be included in a conversation and spoke over it.
Small things matter – they really do!
A memory of a Catholic priest I met while doing my first degree popped into my mind as I continued my journey home; Fr Francis. Fr Francis is one of those priests who, once you meet them, you can never forget them.
Fr Francis was a character. From memory, he was not very tall, probably just over 5’, slightly built, yet he had one of the loudest, deepest and richest voices I have ever heard! Despite his height, there was no way he could be ignored; when he was in full flow, I am sure his voice could be heard from almost anywhere on campus!
Maybe because of his height, Fr Francis constantly reminded us, the students, that we should never underestimate the power of paying attention to small things in life. And, when you think of it, it is generally the smaller things in life that affect us most positively or negatively. The way someone says something or looks at you, a sunset, the weather, ignoring the bank statement or energy that lies unopened on the floor…realistically small things, but they have a massive way we feel or even approach life at that moment.
Changing the way we see the world.
I often ask clients struggling with anxiety or depression to look at the small things around them and to be curious about the environment they are living in. My hope for them is that by focusing on what is outside of themselves, they may start to take an interest in other things as well, slowly moving outwards of themselves and their struggles to engage with their environment.
However, as a general approach to life, maybe we should all be more curious about those little details that may not seem important. Small things in life have the potential to be explosive. My hope for my clients and those who read this blog is that by attending to the small things, those little, seemingly insignificant details that have the potential to affect us and those around us so much, they can become explosively alive – a bit like Fr Francis’ voice or having a Border Terrier puppy explode into your life!