It’s the little things.
Ten tiny baby toes, soft and pudgy, toenails so small they might as well be glitter.
White onesies, hanging from the clothesline in a neat row, swaying and dancing in the breeze against a backdrop of green.
Baby cheeks, smooth and soft as unbaked dinner rolls, heavy and pink from slumber.
As a mother, my definition of love has been stretched, magnified, broadened. What was once mundane, I now treasure. These memories, these fleeting seconds of joy, I know are numbered. I know they are not to be taken for granted, lest they vanish with the passing of time, unnoticed and unsavored.
There are, of course, big moments in life. Big changes, big events, big surprises. These big important moments shape us and impact us and change the trajectory of our lives. Surely. But the little ones do, too. We often just don’t notice.
This month is a month of love, a month for celebrating connections and relationships. Despite what advertisements and movies would have us believe, love isn’t about the perfect date. It isn’t about diamonds, or chocolate, or weekend getaways. If you become convinced that love is always flashy and obvious, you’ll wish away your life, hoping and waiting for only the few big moments while thousands of little ones beg to be noticed.
May your definition of love be broad. Look for it everywhere you go, and in everything you do. You may find it in unexpected places, at inconsequential times, but it’s there.
Love is there, in the little things.
Warm socks. A mug of steaming hot chocolate. The familiar melody of a song that once lifted your spirits during your darkest hour.
The silent moments in the morning, before anyone is awake, when every room is dark, every mind is at peace, every body is still.
A smile across a busy room, the silliness of a shared joke, a homemade meal.
When you find these gifts, these pieces of love, accept them openly. These little moments, as small and insignificant as they might seem, have the power to change your day, your attitude, your life. And when they do, you’ll realize that you have within you the power to offer the same to someone else. Pass it on. Express your love in unique ways. Share your gifts far and wide with all you encounter.
This Valentine’s Day, may the beautiful minutiae of your life overwhelm you, filling your senses with treasures. May your eyes be opened to the beauty and extravagance surrounding you, no matter how small. And may you, in turn, spread those gifts to those around you. It’s easy. It doesn’t take much. It’s the little things.
What little things do you notice around you, right here and now?
