Treasuring The Little Moments

Sipping from a hot cup of coffee on a cold fall morning; watching your daughter, with an ear-to-ear smile, run and jump into a huge pile of leaves; an impromptu get-together with a friend; and snuggling with your dog in front of the fire. What do these moments have in common? They were some of the responses I received when I asked people about the little moments that bring them joy.

Life can be difficult, even crushing at times. When I started writing this, I was focused on describing some of those hard situations. I work at SPAN. All the time, we have clients come in as they are dealing with health issues, caring for family members, searching for more work and often struggling with additional large, unexpected expenses such as car repairs. But I realized I don’t need to describe an overwhelming day. We all have plenty of our own examples.

It may look different to each of us, but we have all experienced challenging times. What can we do on those tough days? As a good friend, who has recently been dealt many demanding cards, was reminding herself, deal with what’s in front of you, one step at a time.

Another helpful thing to remember is to find the light in the little things. Take time to look at the clouds, breathe, relax and visit with friends. Life is made up of lots of little moments. Make sure to notice the light in the little things that make up the day.

Someone was dropping off a large donation of food at SPAN recently. She was happy to do something positive, being surrounded by things that were bringing her down at work, in addition to seeing people with tremendous struggles.

I also notice the smiles. A client was delighted when offered a bag of ground cherries, since they brought back childhood memories. A mother shared that cake mix was a blessing in celebration and her daughter had worn the unicorn hat from the party bag for months afterward. Recently, a 3-year-old was helping his parents deliver donations. The look of determination on his face as he carried giant boxes of cereal and pancake mix up the steps, carefully placing them on a table at his eye level, was precious.

No matter what life throws at us, it is important to slow down and notice the good in the little things. Find the joy in the everyday. Driving the same route every day, I try to notice how the colors of the trees change throughout the year and how beautiful and varied the sky can be. It is easy to get caught up in never-ending to-do lists or aggravating situations; it is important to also appreciate the small, good moments that bring us joy. Take the time to show up for a friend and find the light in the little things.

SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods) is an independent nonprofit food pantry and emergency services provider that has been helping local families with eviction prevention, utility turnoffs, medical/prescription bills, and food since 1990. SPAN serves 15 zip codes in Anne Arundel County. SPAN is located behind Our Shepherd Lutheran Church at 400 Benfield Road in Severna Park. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:00am-1:30pm. For more information, call 410-647-0889, email spanhelps@yahoo.com or visit www.spanhelps.org. Financial donations can be made through the website. Food donations can be dropped off 24/7 using the storage bin behind SPAN’s building. “Like” SPAN on Facebook.