Little Things

The saying goes “Enjoy the little things, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.” It’s a reminder to appreciate the things in life that make you happy and the people who make you laugh. It’s all the little things that make life what it is. Sure, life has its ups and downs but you can always count on those little things that you notice to cheer you up when life gets tough. When you start ignoring the little things in life, it’s like losing the magic of life. When you start living, really living, it is all the simplest, smallest things in life that will bring you joy like the smell of a new book, the feel of a fresh sketchbook page or the warmth of your home when you step through the door for the first time in ages. It’s hearing your favourite song on the radio when you least expect it. Little things are the simple joys in life. If we spend our lives living for big events like that big holiday to Europe or buying a new car then there won’t be much joy in life, will there? That’s why we need to love the little things in life. If happiness depends on good music on the radio, good company or even just good food then we’re sure to be an awful lot happier with life. Sometimes we get so wrapped up reaching for the big goals in life that we forget that it’s the little things that make life worth living. Don’t get me wrong, goals are important and wonderful to have but so are the smiles we can put on other people’s faces by doing something for them that they can’t do for themselves. It’s probably one of the main reasons I envy musicians and actors; their job is to bring things to life for others to make people smile and feel. So that roughly three and a half minutes of music that you love to listen to is the culmination of so many hundreds of hours of dedication, work, rehearsal, writing and practice. That one song could be someone’s life’s work, their everything, but to you it’s a little thing that makes your day that little bit brighter.

Little things are also what make us individuals. No one person likes everything exactly the same way as you do. It’s the little things about yourself, that you’ve grown so used to, that others will call quirks and oddities but they all add up to you. Don’t take those little things for granted; I mean they’re so important that even One Direction wrote a song about them and, oddly enough, it was that song that inspired this post. It is the small details about ourselves, that we’ve assumed are normal and disregarded, that make us truly special and unique. Maybe you have an amazing memory and can remember the name of every person you’ve ever met or maybe you always seem to just know what the best thing to say to someone is. In the lead up to Valentine’s day, maybe now is the time to realize that those “little things,” that maybe drove someone else insane, are the same things that will make the right person love you that little bit more. The right person will love every aspect of you and will probably be able to list off every little, tiny detail they love about you and everyone deserves a chance to feel that kind of love and affection. If you’re single, never just settle for a person because hey I’m tired of being alone; find that person who, when the time is right, has that list of little things that they love about you, who really shows you how much you mean and how much they really know you. If you’re in a relationship with that person with that list, just remember that what you have is so incredibly special and you are so unbelievably lucky to have someone in life that loves you so completely.

I read somewhere once: “I hope I never get tired of the night sky, of thunderstorms, of watching cream make galaxies in my coffee. I hope I never grow to be someone who can no longer see the small beautiful things.” My hope is that more people appreciate the little things about themselves, difficult as it may be. I honestly hope that my love for the little things in life never fades and brings as much joy to my life as all the big things and plans. I mean the little things are the reasons we fall in love with a person, a place or a thing; like the song says “I’m in love with you and all these little things.” So, for now, I’m done being sappy and romantic but never forget the importance of the little things.