little things | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity

“It’s the little things, I expect. Little treasures we find without knowing their origin. And they come when we least expect them. It’s beautiful, when you think about it.”
― T.J. Klune

I love to collect memories of people I love. Either through dolls, tattoos, or rocks. I just love the little things. My best friend in high school loved Coca-Cola and years ago I found a belt buckle that I will sometimes wear to remind me of her.

Little things seem nothing, but they give peace, like those meadow flowers which individually seem odorless but all together perfume the air. ~Georges Bernanos

After my dad passed in October, I was helping clean out a big old shop full of mold, rat nests, and random other things that had not been cared for sufficiently to garner keeping. However, we found some amazing photos and a few other random thigs that I felt that if I gave them a little loving care, I could restore them to near original condition and keep as a weird keepsake of my dad and possibly even of my mother.

Super random and super lovely. I’m glad I found them and even though I do not believe I ever saw my dad or mom with any of the above items. For some reason they are now connected to thoughts of my mom and dad. Though there were many other things that I suppose I could have kept, there was something just a little magical about the above items. The random 2 army guys and the moon belt buckle really have me perplexed. But that’s sort of why I really like them.

Little things console us because little things afflict us. ~Blaise Pasca

It’s funny. I set a 30 day challenge for myself. It was for no other reason but to jumpstart my creativity and motivate me to get out of my own head again.

For some time now I have had to force myself to even write one blog a month. Paint one picture every few months. I would struggle just having energy to get up and stretch. I did it but I was putting no effort into it. Setbacks like my recent fall or finding I had no milk but a box of cereal would anger me or spiral me into a dark place. It was self feeding.

I’m surprised (not surprised) that the more I do the better I feel. I know this is how I am and my natural state. I hardly ever have this many down and dark days in a row. As I move out of it I can’t help but wonder.. what the hell? How did I get there?

The answer in is the same answer out. Poco a poco! Slowly. Little by little. Step by step. Thanks to the many who stayed with me.. for walking me out. Thanks to self for hanging in there. Check in with your friends and loved ones. Poco a poco we will all get through. It’s the little things that will bring us full circle.

That’s all folks!! Take care.

The little things: Prashantt; chattykerry; brad; Omo; phoebe; simran; cathy;

“But what I thought, and what I still think, and always will, is that she saw me. Nobody else has ever seen me — me, Jenny Gluckstein — like that. Not my parents, not Julian, not even Meena. Love is one thing — recognition is something else.”
― Peter S. Beagle, Tamsin

Today was an amazing day for me. All of my life people have come to me for advice. I give it. I am ignored. This has been a consistent part of my existence.

I have raised two lovely daughters who I have given advice to for many years. It would be a low end guess to say that 90% of it has been ignored. Co-workers, friends and other family have approached me for advice ranging from career choices, money matters, relationship advice and other moral dilemmas that I have given away hours through counseling and consoling efforts only to have EVERY course of action advised squashed like a little bug.

I have been successful in several different career paths. I have been in charge of large groups of people in critical decision making situations and managed to lead and follow when appropriate with no damages resulting. If I do say so myself, I am quite incredible in my ability to usually be correct. However, my correctness is usually never mentioned and most of my advice is largely ignored.

What is my point? Today is my point. Vindication.

A friend who has been trying to learn Spanish ate lunch with me today and shared with me a short story. It went something like this:

Yeah, today I had to give some keys to a vender who only spoke Spanish. I didn’t think I could do it. Then I thought to myself, “What Would Sam Do? She would just say something and not worry about whether or not she was understood.” So I just forged ahead and said what I had to say in Spanish, I’m not sure if I said the right things in the right way, but I did it and I think they understood me. They repeated what I said and I just said “Si!” and walked away.

I get it that this was not a major victory or real proof of anything about my abilities to be right or even about my ability to communicate in a different language. Sure sometimes this “just do it” mentality gets me into some crazy situations. However, it is how I have managed to keep things simple and accomplish so much. None of that is really the point either. The point is someone used the phrase “WWSD?” I’m convinced no one has ever used that phrase before and possibly no one will use it again…but today? Yes, today, this phrase made my day. It really is the little things that matter.