The Little Things are the Big Things

So while my husband was browsing the spackle and jigsaws, I zigzagged my way through the aisles, en–route to the garden center. On my way there, smack in the middle of aisle 9, I became temporarily mesmerized by the smorgasbord of shiny, pointy, silver things. There were so many of them, in so many shapes and sizes, all neatly organized, and glittering like ancient Neolithic jewelry under the cold fluorescent lights. 

I stood still for a moment and stared. “These things are pretty cool,” I thought, “but they sure pale in comparison to all the heavy duty building materials, power tools, and appliances in this place.’’ 

I took my next step forward, and with it, my next thought silently screamed, “THAT’S SOOOO NOT TRUE! These little things are HUGE! Without them, everything else would fall apart and collapse. They may look insignificant and small, but these guys are the foundation of everything else, of everything bigger, of everything that has ever been built! And without them, NOTHING, not even the shelves that hold them up, or the walls that hold this building together would be standing.” 

I stood still and allowed that whopper to sink in. 

“The little things are the big things,” I whispered to myself. “The little things are the big things.” 

Strolling in the direction of the plants, all I could think about was the fact that the cheapest, smallest, most abundant things in the store are arguably the most valuable. They hide out humbly behind the scenes, supporting and holding together every structure imaginable. And they do it without ego. Without social media posts, without tags and without logos. Most of the time we don’t even know they are there, as they heroically keep the kitchen cabinets attached to the walls, the walls attached to the ceiling, and the doors attached to the frames!! 

 
 
I grab a lone cart which happens to be sitting vacantly a few feet from the plants, and as I push it forward, I think to myself, “If the big things are what they are because of the little things that hold them together, then it must be that everything good in my life, in my relationships, and in my day to day experiences are also an accumulation of various small but significant things as well…” 

I think back to the jog I took that morning. I felt amazing, but suddenly I realize it’s not just the jog itself that made me feel so good. It was feeling the cool, crisp air on my face and the sun beating down on my back, seeing the beautiful palm trees and cacti, hearing the pleasant chirps of the birds overhead, experiencing my own smallness under the big blue sky, and feeling gratitude as my heart beat loudly and steadily in my chest. It was also the pushback of the solid ground beneath my feet, the perfect running shoes, the workout clothes – so comfortable, that I didn’t even feel them, the energy God gave me to sustain long periods of movement, the feeling of freedom as I ran alone like a deer in the woods, the hormones that my body was releasing, the sweat dripping out of my pores, the focus of my mind on things I wanted to think about, and the accomplishment of the jog itself. These details are what made up the end result of what I call a “great jog.” And still, within each of those details, are layers of even more details. 

Standing amongst a large variety of plants, having a visceral gratitude attack for some of the nuts and bolts of life like water, oxygen, indoor plumbing, electricity, food, heating, cooling, and gasoline, I decide to go with a tall Song of India and a long hanging Pothos. They would pull together the loose decorative ends of my living room and bedroom, and create that warm, cozy feeling that I wanted.  

I placed the plants in my cart and headed back toward my husband. Sauntering through the aisles, I took my time to admire the products on the shelves and their various functions. If we can’t appreciate the little things, then how can we deeply appreciate the big things? And all these little things – the screws and  nails that hold things together, the smiling faces of our children, a hardy laugh, a good book, a cup of coffee with a friend – it all boils down to God’s graciousness and kindness, which is everywhere, holding everything together.  

With a renewed sense of appreciation for the details, I felt myself falling in love with this store. Maybe Home Depot was a good date spot after all!