The Little Things

It's a little hard to see in the picture, a couple (Pedro and Molly) wrote their names on the window while making the "o"s in their names a boy and a girl. I noticed it walking out of work tonight and thought it was adorable.

I've always loved the little things. Small ways of showing affection, friendship, and love. For me they speak louder than anything else. A single red rose can speak so much more than a bouquet. A hand written note may be harder to read, but it's more personal than any typed and printed sheet. It's not a lie when people say that it is the thought that counts.

One of the most precious gifts I have ever received, I got during a church retreat one year. We did a sort of secret santa type thing, only it was secret friends. You drew a name, spent the weekend trying to get to know that person, and then made them a gift to reflect what you learned about them.

One year, I wasn't sure if I would be able to make the retreat. Last minute, I joined the group and spent the weekend getting to know everyone. When it came time to present the gifts, one of my advisers got up and presented me mine.

He had picked out a rock, cleaned it up, and painted the lake that sat on the property where we had our retreat. There were trees in fall colors and birds in the sky. He explained that he had done so because of the fact that I didn't know until last minute if I would be going, and this was a way for me to be there, even if I couldn't make it. It was a way to remember the place in the future when I was no longer a part of the youth group. And it was a way to remember the weekend I had just had.

I still own the rock, and I still treasure it. More than anything ever bought for me from a store. It was made by someone, for me. It was his way of showing he was thinking of me and what was important to me. It's crazy to think, that something as simple as a rock with a little paint could be so much. But it is, and always will be.

I try to appreciate the small things. A simple gift, a little time, a shoulder to cry on, a token of friendship, or writing on a window. There are so many little things in this world that make up something bigger and more beautiful. Something that materialistic and replaceable items fall short of doing. Taking away that personal touch truely takes away the value of any item or action. It is truely the thought that counts.