I’ts the little things, the ordinary, the everyday, that makes our world go round.
Oh yes, there is a time to celebrate, and I think of many who are doing just that this time of year… graduations, music recitals, weddings… June should be called the month of celebration!
But in our flood-clogged region, it has been the acts of kindness lately that have moved me… kids giving up a gym class to fill sand-bags, neighbours helping neighbours.
The other day I was moved by our own ER department of the hospital where I work… I had been assisting a lady to find her way, and they told me she comes in often… for an appointment she doesn’t have… and she is treated with kindness and dignity. Those are the things not often recorded, or noticed.
There are faithful volunteers who come in…. they listen, they sing, they hold someones hand or give some reassurance. I shared one story recently on Facebook of a woman who realized her mission in life was to care for her husband who was in a care home. She came, daily, to feed him, to sit with him, just being present. As she was there,t she noticed others who also needed encouragement. And she began to care for others, caregivers, who also needed encouragement. There are people like that in every facility, often unnoticed, but faithful.
Sometimes when life seems big and crazy and even overwhelming, it is good to go home and make soup. This is the necessity of life, to create nourishing food, and where we are able, to share it with others. It is good to go for a walk and smell the flowers, to take in the scenery, to notice the ordinary moments.
Today I picked rhubarb. It seems like a rustic fruit to me… or is it a vegetable? Chopping is good therapy! It reminds me of my mom, always busy, always creative, and she would not have let rhubarb go to waste.
There are times when I’m too busy for rhubarb. That is ok too! But I’ll let you in on a secret… I simply chopped it and cooked it in water… and I will strain that water, and make rhubarb ice-cubes… tangy, and a lovely addition to a cold class of water. Or sparking water if I want some pizzazz.. A little bit of joy. A simple pleasure.
Today I saw the peonies had bloomed. They are the prettiest they have ever been! I rushed out with my phone, snapping pictures, all the while eyeing the stormy clouds that were threatening rain and wind. And I brought some beauty inside, and made a simple bouquet.
Last week I was in a traffic jam, a sinkhole had affected our local highway and my commute. As I sat amidst all the cars, a small deer, timid, stepped out into all that traffic. Across the four lanes she came, and fortunately we were all at a standstill! A lovely moment – and for a minute it was OK not to be going anywhere.
These are the ordinary things. Enjoying wild flowers on a walk, enjoying God’s creation, smiling at those we meet. The ordinary becomes the beautiful, it is the fabric of our lives.
