Today I find myself with few words, but I found a reflection I had recorded from a book I ran across somewhere by Henri Nouwen. It offers a beautiful perspective on the little things of life that are so important even when they seem so trivial:
Small signs of friendliness can create much joy, and small disturbances between people much sadness, while the "great events" of the day often do not touch us so deeply. An unexpected note from a friend or the passing remark from a neighbor can make or break my day emotionally, while inflation and recession, war and oppression do not touch my emotions directly. A distant catastrophe has less effect than a nearby mishap, and an interpersonal tiff raises more hackles than a world-wide calamity....
But how little do we use this knowledge? What is easier than writing a thank-you note, than sending a card "just to say hello," or to give a call "just to see how things have been." But how seldom do I do this? Still, I realize that every time someone says, "I liked your talk" or "I appreciated your remark" or "Your note really helped" or "You really seem to feel at home here"--I feel my inner life being lifted up and the day seems brighter, the grass greener, and the snow whiter than before. Indeed, the great mystery is that a small, often quite immaterial gesture can change my heart so much. The way to the heart always seems to be a quiet, gentle way.
-Mornings with Henri J.M. Nouwen: Readings and Reflections
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