Life is About the Little Things

By Shannon Hembree

Life

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When you walk by a fountain, do you stop and watch the patterns the water makes as it falls? Do you notice the different types of flowers that bloom in the springtime? Have you ever been way out in the country and taken the time just to listen to the sounds around you or to gaze for minutes on end at the stars above.

Life is about the little things, because it is the little things that put a smile on your face every day. How great is it when you walk out the door and see that single beautiful flower by the sidewalk, or you get that corny, but oh so amazing, note in your locker from your best friend, or you see a painting that seems so real it’s like it is alive on the canvas, or you read a poem that resonates in your soul, or when you come across anything else that speaks to you. Those are the little things – the mundane things – that make life wonderful.

Every day we get to choose whether or not we notice these little things. Some people are in too much of a rush, too caught up in their own lives, or just not interested enough to really see the world around them. What a waste. As corny as it sounds, by choosing to be a “noticer,” you get to experience more of the world around you.

When I was backpacking in Europe after college, there was someone on my bus who was definitely not into noticing the world around him. He made a comment about how once you have seen one tree or mountain, you have seen them all. He wound up sleeping the entire trip and missing out on some of the most amazing scenery in Ireland.

We all have situations where we can sleep through life and let it pass us by or where we can open ourselves up to soak in everything around us. One choice feeds your soul, the other stunts its growth.

So take the time to appreciate the little things. Stop from time to time to marvel at the trees, the mountains, and the scenery in general – whatever it may be – all around you. Close your eyes and let the music wash over you. Just think how much you will miss, and how boring life will be, if you don’t.

Tags: flowers, Life, little things, smile, walk