Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Small Things Are the Big Things

I'm not going to be talking about Belgium. 

I've said so much about terrorism, so much about how to fight, how not to fight, how to live, I don't have anything really new to add.

So I'l go back to my staples: live well, live free, don't be afraid and the little things are the big things. 

When the "world" gets you down, you focus on the glorious small things of life.

I'll talk about my very strange, wonderful day yesterday.

The morning was a rush, as it usually is, getting everyone organized and out with proper food, clothing, supplies, keys, phones, etc..that are needed for the day. Everyone, thank G-d, healthy and happy.

I had lunch, completely non-stop laughs and incredibly interesting stories with a local female police officer that I met about three years ago, through very strange circumstances (relating to my special needs child) and we just hit it off. After discussing the serious issues at hand, we got into regular mom stuff and were quickly cracking each other up, especially when we compared how unloved both of us were by our childrens' (then) PTA associations, how we were the truly odd birds. We caught up and had an amazing time.

So, there we were, the uber-Jewish suburban Zionist mother/writer/activist, and my completely different companion, a tall, gentile, police officer who has worked investigations, surveillance, homicide, and other dangerous beats like drugs and organized crime, but we have this funny bond. It was really neat. OK, we are both blonde, and are planning to die/dye blonde so that may also be a bond. The blonde bond. Life is so great and strange!

The other glorious parts were finding a Purim costume for one of my kids-exactly what was wanted-on-line, after some serious Google searches, for a ridiculously affordable price, and having a contact in that city outside Toronto, with a spouse who works in Toronto, who is able to pick it up for me and bring it to me before Purim. Seriously magnificent.

Then I had the pleasure of doing homework with one of the kids. A school project. The project involved the students picking their four or five most important things and creating a piece of artwork with photos and designs reflecting those priorities.

My child picked family, Israel, friends and soccer.

Just thinking about it makes me completely verklempt.

I got to make supper with beautiful, fresh ingredients, in a quiet, safe home, and clean up as everyone went about their homework, relax time and getting organized for the next day. I went to bed exhausted, but so peaceful.

Our blessings are everywhere around us, we must only take the time to really feel them, to really savour them.

The small things are really the big things. 

When you are worried about "the world", worry first about a one-foot perimeter around you and feel the greatness in it, make that perimeter even greater.

There is great comfort in small things.