Day Fifty-Eight: The Small Favors

For me, the smallest favors often mean the most. I had a very busy, stressful, harried day. Yet, I was able to take a nap for a whole hour. That may not seem like a big deal, it even may seem a bit self-indulgent, but it was a God send. I was woken up twice last night, once by a dog that had to pee like a racehorse and once by a snoring husband who was about to suck the fan off the ceiling. Of course, my three year old has not adjusted to the time change, so he was awake demanding juice and the Mickey Mouse show at 6:00 a.m. I got through the morning with a great deal of caffeine and not much patience. I received an unexpected reprieve at 10:00 a.m. when a neighbor took my remaining child off my hands for a play date. Joy! Nap! I got a whole hour of uninterrupted sleep on a cold, rainy morning. There was nothing at that moment in time that could have made me happier.

This got me contemplating the meaning of small favors. I have mulled over the inconvenience of the large, imposing favors and concluded that it is absolutely fine to say no. (Except to me, of course.) The small favors are the those that don't take much effort but seem to help someone out a great deal. "Pay it forward" is a great example and one I lived by today. I picked up another neighbor's child at school just to make life easier for her for that one hour out of the day. It took no effort on my part, as I was going to the school to get my own kids anyway. I'm sure if I needed someone to do it for me, they wouldn't hesitate. I'm also sure this is because most people who know me know that I am willing to lend a hand when I can. What does go around certainly does comes around. I don't think that the mom I helped today got in a nap, but it was one less thing she had to worry about.

This stuff happens all the time to all of us. We help family, coworkers, friends, neighbors and acquaintances. Whomever is in need of something that is quick, easy and unobtrusive, most of us deliver it without even a second thought. Its the people who hesitate, the one's who find even the most simple request taxing who make life difficult for the rest of us. Breathe easy though, because, once again, what goes around, comes around!

I am learning, during the course of this writing project, that the little things do mean the most. The grand gestures are welcome and are wonderful to both give and receive, but they are often not the stuff that makes our lives better over the long haul. The small acts of kindness, the smiles, the understanding hug, the occasional favor are what make communities. Communities bind us to one another and give us our greatest pleasures in life. It doesn't matter if those communities are small and intimate, like families that create traditions and celebrations from life's milestones or if they are large like whole towns that care about their kids, their elderly and their environment. Bound communities give off a positive energy that is often infectious. It is always pleasant to be one small part of a community that contributes to well being of the whole. So, the truism for today is that the small favors and the little kindnesses are what will make our lives better, easier and much less lonely. It only takes a moment to demonstrate caring and compassion. Don't let the opportunity get away from you. You never know when you might need it in return.