Most of us live our lives with emphasis on the big things, on the big events. We tend to “Disremember” the little things in life. The smile. The hug. The smooth flow. It's a pity, because those on the downslope of life remember not the promotion nor the joy of a huge raise. Generally, that raise comes with responsibilities often aggravating and demanding, even to some extent unattainable. No, it is the little things good and bad that we remember most. These are the things which return a smile to a face. Or recall that lump in the throat, that touch to the heart.
In fact, if I or anyone had to rate their lives much of the list on the assets side would consist of seemingly small inconsequential moments. It is quite a revelation as a new light is shed upon one's life. Particularly during a time of contemplation and evaluation it can be quite frustrating. When others disagree while weighing their own lives, we must remember and know that we feel the essence of life, the bottom lines of our lives. The moments in life which have given our lives meaning - and peace.
We came. We saw. We did, to the best of our ability even if we did not conquer all we had wished to. As the due bills come flooding into the mailbox of our lives, as we evaluate and contemplate, remember the small things, not so small after all. Our lives are bathed in a different light, hopefully a better light, one shedding true light rather than glare blinding one to the true reality of our lives.
Some will wonder why I am writing this. Have I received bad news? Do I feel the dimming of the lights? No. Thankfully, the Lord has seen otherwise and has given me more time on this earth. To do better with the time remaining. Perhaps it is because we have lost several good friends over the past year or two, have seen good friends change due to physical, mental or emotional cause precluding their old plans, negating them. It is especially hard when it is a sibling who is no longer there, for we miss them so. We remain in a shrinking circle.
It can be daunting. However, it is possible to rebuild and redraw new circles in life, ones which had never crossed our minds just a few years ago. Certainly, we can and should direct our thoughts to find new paths and step out on them with energy and gratitude. To think otherwise than we once had. To do better with circumstances of our lives and turn what seem to be burnt coal into gleaming new facets in one's life. The possibilities are endless as some which had looked bad can be turned around into something much better, more enlarging and enlightening. Be it via new people becoming unexpected important part of one's life or opening new vistas with hobbies and interests, the results, the changes, can be amazing and energizing. Certainly, it is worth the effort.
So why now? One serious reason and one a tad funny. This morning I read a review of a movie about a young child after the defeat of Hitler, living on a remote island and all the difficulties of his circumstances of life. A mother who was a fanatic, devout Hitler lover, deeply depressed upon hearing of his death. The life he faces there with shortages and rationing. Even as he makes his own life more difficult than it already is. He wears a Hitler Youth uniform into an area of anti-Nazi population. He takes it upon himself to "cure" his mother's depression. A difficult task indeed.
However, why are we asked to look upon this boy with pity and admiration. He is not within electrified fences. He is not in direct threat to life by immediate death or of a tad later in time. a bit longer than that. How am I, how is any person who is Jewish to feel sorry for this one child when our own children had no choice. Not to where they lived. Nor to where they would die. Where life was a living death with no one to help. And certainly, no possibility of turning their lives around.
Possibility of a future life for them was unforeseen, deemed impossible. As for 'saving' a mother who is a declared and devout hater = these Jewish kids in the ghettoes and camps would have sold their souls to have a parent to help, to love, to give them a hug. Simply to be there with them, for them.
What I feel is resentment. What I feel here is a critical situation which demands a deep dive into it. Its revaluation and the reality of truth. Are these little things in life? Some can consider it so. Living under rationing is highly difficult. But then I think of the rationing of the 'food', given to those held prisoner within ghettos, death camps, slave labor camps. Perhaps we need to understand that all is relative, not absolute.
However, to me it seems impossible. The movie is too evocative of a time growing ever more replicative of one of the worst times of history for the Jewish people through the millennia. I do not know nor understand why this is constantly in duplication. But even as the little things of the movie are stressed, the elephant in the room - why they are living there - is too overwhelming and the insignificance grows. At least for me.
On the other hand, a little thing is causing me great aggravation and pain. It is a little thing punching way above its weight. Pain. An annoyance. I have been through much more for longer periods of time. But I must tell you. Those little things at the end of our feet, those toes, those little pieces of us that we are constantly breaking and smashing into hard furniture. Those very toes are far more important to us than we realize. When they turn on us, we introduce a sour component into our lives. We quickly find out that these toes and their health are of critical importance to us.
Without them, or when they are wounded, suddenly, our balance is off balance. Our ability to stride freely is crimped and cramped. We are forced to peruse all our footwear and find that nothing allows for the peace of these damaged toes. We are finally driven to a corrective situation. We then find out that these small little things that we too often ignore are quite demanding, as is their desire to be the center of one's universe.
Suddenly three little toes became a huge part of one's life. It is impossible to walk normally. It is impossible to avoid the pain. And the swelling. And it is impossible to stop reconsidering what one did. Even as we know that it had to be done. That the uncorrected problem would have led to far longer, even permanent inability to stride through life as one wishes.
Such a little thing. Such big consequences.
This was true in our yesterdays.
Much of it remains true in our todays.
Much of it, unfortunately, will continue into our tomorrows.
If we want a better world, we had better get going on both these issues and anything related to them.
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