Small But Great

In talking about gifts, an anonymous writer penned these simple yet profound words: “Most of us will never do great things, but we can all do small things in a great way.” 

Charles Dudley Warner added to that sentiment in an even more artistic way: “A great artist can paint a great picture on a small canvas.”

As I attempted to summarize my thoughts this week, I struggled more than usual. Since I suspect we’re all sick of hearing about pandemics, I’ll skip that one. For many of us, however, changes in our personal lives can create huge challenges. The need to spend a lot of time with my now physically-challenged husband means no more round trips to and from town on the bus;  that’s pretty much eliminated my daily social interaction with friends and neighbours. But today I was greatly encouraged by a couple of simple things.

Because I had to return a borrowed wheelchair to our local Red Cross location, I drove to town and enjoyed a delightful cup of tea in the presence of a lot of customers. Although I didn’t know most of them, I was surrounded by happy chatter. I loved it. More importantly, though, I was able to pass on genuine thanks to the folks who make life easier for the rest of us through health-related organizations. It may not seem “great” to some but to those recipients, it can be the blessing they’ve longed for.

Then, following lunch, I gave myself a lecture and instead of either snoozing or doing crossword puzzles, I got busy and weeded the rock wall on our property. A couple of hours of work made such a difference both in the appearance of our yard but also in my personal encouragement.
Whether big things or small canvases, they’re a blessing to someone.

_{Calling all authors…we welcome your short stories, articles & other contributions to this feature. Email to communications@acop.ca. The creative works posted on Writer’s Corner have been developed and written by ACOP members, and may not reflect the official position of ACOP.}