There will be storms.
Yes, there will.
After a wild and woolly night, storms are now moving out of the area…at least for a few days.
Thankfully, we didn’t sustain much damage over our way, although we did lose the center of my beloved sixteen-year-old plum tree— the same tree that’s withstood countless ice storms, hail, and two major tornadoes.
Ugh.
Over the past year, that plum tree had started to fill out nicely, rebounding from years of hard knocks. Its branches grew, and its pretty, purple leaves looked especially hardy. I was encouraged. (For sentimental reasons, I still hope we can save that tree.)
For folks who live in the Ozarks, extreme weather is a way of life. We may not like it, but we understand this, too, will pass.
We’re like that compromised tree. We may get a little bent, but we won’t let hardship break us.
We’ll dissect the emotion, suck up our grief, and plow through the disappointment.
We’ll give thanks for the little things that we sometimes take for granted.
We’ll see the bigger picture.
Often, I’ve found that it’s those little things that make a big impact.
It’s those little things that change lives and leave lifelong impressions. (Click-to-tweet)
For instance, something happened earlier in the week that blessed me. It was a small thing, but a kindness I’ll always remember.
Before I share, let me preface it by saying one of the greatest blessings of living in the Ozarks is the sense of community.
The people who live here are unique.
We’re a friendly, down-to-earth bunch bound together by inherent means—culture, heritage, and tradition. (If you’re a history buff and like log cabins, don’t miss this post.)
We share similar roots, yet there’s just enough diversity to keep life interesting.
Where other parts of the country might move at a fast and furious pace, we’re a little more laid back.
We help our neighbors.
And most times, we’ll nod, wave, or extend a “howdy” (or a “hi-die”) to folks we don’t know.
Because little things are contagious.
Don’t misunderstand. We’re not perfect.
We don’t sit in our glass houses and count our blessings over five-star meals…not that the idea doesn’t appeal.
We do embrace the fabric of who we are, imperfections and all, and we muddle through just like you.
We see the mundane through a hope-filled lens.
Niceties thrill us.
Small things like this…
As my daughter and I visited our local big box store a few days ago, we noticed something odd.
Almost every check-out lane was open, but no one seemed to be moving. In fact, each line was five to six people deep. Some folks had a few items, while others had shopping carts chock-full of groceries.
It was early afternoon, and normally, not crowded at that time of day.
I surveyed the crowd. Hmm. “My goodness, I’ve never seen it like this.”
“Guess everyone decided to shop at once today, Mama.”
We had only two items to pay for so we quickly buzzed toward the shortest line. (We were third behind two other shoppers.)
The gentleman who stood in front of us turned around and offered an explanation. “All registers are down. It’s been like this for about fifteen minutes.”
Ahh.
Sometimes, we’re called to pause.
Now the lines made sense. Still, I’d never seen that happen at a store before. It was a sunny day and there were no storms in the area. And there wasn’t a power outage due to electrical work so that wasn’t the issue.
To have all registers in that huge store go totally off-line and close down for that length of time seemed somewhat surreal. (I had a Twilight Zone kind of moment and my writer’s brain immediately fielded what ifs.)
To everyone’s credit, however, no one pitched a fit or grew ugly.
Even shoppers with melting ice cream and crying babies remained patient.
“So sorry about this, folks. We hope to have everything running again soon.” The cashier up ahead smiled sympathetically.
I’m sure the wait had to be hard on her and others, too. The cashiers probably envisioned a passel of patrons only too anxious to vent their frustrations when it was finally time to pay.
The fellow in front of me stepped back and smiled. “You only have two items. Please be my guest. Go in front of me.”
Attitude is a little thing…and everything.
His generosity squeezed my heart. “Oh, that’s so nice. You’ve been here a lot longer than I have, though, and your cart’s full. I really don’t mind waiting.”
“Please, ma’am. I insist.”
Who was I to refuse a blessing?
“All right, sir. Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.”
See?
A little thing—a small act of kindness—but one that wasn’t lost on my daughter or me.
You can’t put a price tag on paying it forward. (Click-to-tweet)
That’s how joy multiplies.
Don’t you love it?
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ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS YOU MAY ENJOY
10 Characteristics of a Joy-Bearer
Original Image Credit: cocoparisienne/Pixabay
How do you pay it forward?
What little thing has brightened your week?
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Much Love and Many Blessings,
Comments 2
What a beautiful reminder. I’ve had a few ‘little’ things lately and I agree wholeheartedly. Those little things left BIG impressions.
Author
Julia, I’m so thankful for the little things in my life, too. Such teachable moments!