The Smallest Thing

My apologies to faithful readers for the silence of the past several days. My daughter’s high school graduation, the party afterwards, and the departure of my son for several months have been a little overwhelming and tiring. Through the course of those events I discovered hundreds of valuable moments, many of them “once in a life time” or “last time ever” moments and they needed to be lived with extra care. That got me thinking about how many small things in life slip right past us without ever being lived or appreciated. So it is with things in the natural world as well. There is beauty and perfection to be enjoyed in the smallest flower, even the most insignificant insect. Yet, we march right past them in the course or our busy lives, often even trampling them underfoot. The employee who occasionally tends the few unsightly shrubs in from of my office, on a whim, scattered a few flower seeds recently. During the past week or two, as they began to bloom, they have warmed my heart whenever I came and went through the front door. They are singularly unimpressive flowers, but they are unique in that we have never had flowers there in the many years I had an office at this location. Such little corners of beauty exist in every area of our lives. It may come in the form of my office flowers, the shape of a cloud, a surprising act of human kindness, the flight of a bird or a single smile. I believe God fills our lives with these small blessings and the appreciation thereof can bring a great deal of joy to the life of one with an open heart. Here’s wishing such joy in your own life ... may we all learn to slow down just a bit and notice the beauty in the smallest of things.

The Smallest Thing
There is a beauty in the smallest things
In their grace and simplicity
A wonder in the tiniest flower
To rival the mightiest tree
How much beauty we disregard
Or tread upon thoughtlessly
As we rush through this life we lead
Too busy to care ... or see
Lord, may I pause to focus
To admire the intricacy
Of all that surrounds me daily
As it presents itself to me
By Frank Carpenter ©