Recently, the mother shared a story about one of her little boy's favorite celebrities from the TV show The Wiggles connecting with her little boy in his time of grief (see here). A blog reader actually initiated the contact, and with such a small action, this little boy's heart was quieted, and there was a smile on his face again. (You have to read the story...really. It's amazing.) It took took me back to all the little things people did for us and for Joie after her family died. I was amazed at people's small gestures, and always so comforted by their willingness to reach out and connect with us.
And as it turns out, it's the little things that mean a lot to me today also.
On what could have been an exhausting day, I'm finding myself at the end of the day overwhelmed with gratitude.
(First of all, Tim comes home tomorrow, which his actually a big thing, so anything I might say after that might seem insignificant, but maybe it just emphasizes the importance of the little things.)
Tonight I had to run some errands, pick up kids from play practice, take Megan to soccer practice, help my kids find dinner, coordinate rides for girls I teach to a church activity (and be at the activity). Also there was another church women's activity tonight I couldn't be at because of all the above, and Nate's soccer game I'd miss because of all the above, and getting my oldest two girls to the church to help babysit for the women's activity so other moms could go.
Another mom and dad helped get my girls to the church (little thing #1) while I was picking up girls in my church class to take to the church for our activity. As soon as the activity started I got a call from the mom who was at Nate's game who was supposed to bring Nate home saying her son was hurt and it was cold so they were leaving early. I was able to explain to one of the other leaders I needed to go pick up Nate (a 20 minute drive from the church), and figured the game would be over in time for me to return to the church to drive girls home. Of course the game didn't start on time and didn't get over on time, and Nate was still playing when I needed to leave, so a random mom who I've never met before volunteered to bring him home (little thing #2).
And even though it would seem frustrating that I had to be in my car 40 extra minutes today to and from a game I didn't have time to be at, it meant I got to see love in action on a soccer field today, and it touched my heart (little thing #3, that is actually a really, really big thing).
See...Nate has never played soccer before, except maybe once when he was 4 or 5. He hated it back then.
But he goes to a small high school, and has the opportunity to play this year, and after years of health problems, it's good to see him out there going after life again and trying new things. He gives me courage, because honestly, after all his health problems, I'd probably give up. I'm a wimp when it comes to those kind of things.
As he's played sports this year the reactions from coaches have been incredibly supportive and encouraging. Tonight as he was playing, I could hear his coach encouraging him to "Hustle, Jarman!" And he did. I could hear team mates encouraging him, and I saw him respond with an increased effort. It brought tears to my eyes as I stood there in the cold wind watching him play, and getting into the game in a way I haven't seen him do before.
Later when Nate told me about it, he said, "Coach and my team planned it before the game. They said they'd keep feeding me the ball until I scored... And I did!"
It really is the little things that matter, like a coach who cares, and a team of teenage boys who care, and moms who help me get my kids where they need to be when they need to be there, and texts that pick me up and keep me going (little thing #4 & #5). It's love in action...proof that life matters.
And just a sidenote: I still don't know the mom's name that gave Nate a ride home tonight, so when I asked him whose mom it was so I could thank her later, he told me (with a completely straight face) that it was the mom of a kid he didn't know from the other team. I totally fell for it. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.......
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