Little Kindnesses

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Like most people, I find myself pulled by the allure of doing something great, grandiose, and meaningful with my life. Perhaps it is common for people to desire to do great and be great and leave something great. I am practical enough however to know that no matter how good I may be at teaching, there are probably better people, and I know enough to know that I'm unlikely to be the person who makes the difference and cures cancer, ends poverty, or brings peace to the Middle East. I am not vain enough to think myself that important. Life is mostly however made up of little things, little kindnesses, that elevate for a few people their brief episode in the drama of mortality.

You may notice that I talk a lot about the little things that make my life amazing and wonderful. My students were quite aghast to know that last weekend I accomplished more than they do, that I have a life outside work and class. I hiked six miles at Mt. Charleston, did laundry and dishes, went waterskiing with my sister, went to work for five hours on a Saturday, graded quizes, and went to church. It was a busy and accomplished time. Along the way, I saw caterpillars and heard bird song and paused to notice the phases of the moon. I wrote about things that matter to me, called a few old friends, and planned my visits in Spring to the opera and theater. I ate good food and thanked God for my blessings, including you, my readers. They are all small things, but they mean a great deal to me.

God also works through small and simple things. He confounds mighty armies with a sling from a shepherd boy, David. He defeated Pharaoh with a wooden stick held up by another herdsman, Moses. He brought forth the Book of Mormon through an uneducated farm boy. His work IS the small and simple things, because His work is about how most of us live- simply and quietly. We don't always like that and aspire to do some great thing or bear some lofty title when we ought to remember that like Naaman of Syria sometimes the right thing is to wash in the Jordan.

This weekend, a poem has been reverberating in my brain. With your indulgence, I refer to literature parenthetically once again. I remember it from attending Religious Seminary in my youth:

I asked the Lord, “What shall I do?” / And my love flowed warm and free. / Then He pointed me out a tiny spot / And said, “Tend that for me.”

I quickly relied, “Oh no, not that. / “Why no one would ever see. / “No matter how well my work was done; / “Not that little place for me.”

The word He spoke, It was not stern, / He answered me tenderly; / “Ah, little one, search that heart of thine. / “Are you working for them or me? / “Nazareth was a little place, and so was Galilee.”

Early last week, I made one of my usual stops on the way home. I had no special plan in mind when I arrived, as this is part of my routine. However, the clerk in the store informed me that it was a particularly difficult day for him. In the last month, his wife has filed for divorce, and he had to put down his dog. The first thing that came to my mind was to tell him an unrelated joke. When I left after conversing with him for half an hour or so, he told me, "Thank you, Doug. You made my day today." I made his day a little lighter.

It need not be great things that make a difference. I have seen mighty mountains worn by continual small breezes and low rainfall. I have seen small children teach greater sermons from the pulpit than any other adult. A few kind words or just a little attention often is enough to make someone's day. I know for my part, when someone pays attention to me and makes me feel like I matter, that's enough sometimes to carry me through a quiet and lonely weekend. I lean heavily on small whisperings of the Spirit of God to comfort me through difficult and confusing times.

A continual accumulation of little kindnesses evinces true care and concern for people around us. Little notes my mom left in my lunch as a child, however embarrassing, reinforced that she cared. Continued reminders of my contributions help me keep my head high when I tilt at windmills at work after students complain. Asides sent via text in reference to shared pleasant experiences help me remember that I know joy when darkness seems to be my only outlook. Today, it was just the little things, but these little kindnesses will help me be strong this week as I go back into the trenches hoping to make a positive difference in the lives of my students. I calculated it out, and I spend no more than 6% of the time any student I have spends getting a degree with that particular student in class. It is small, but in that minute fraction, we may make the difference.

Resolve to be the difference by making small changes in your life. Phone calls, banana bread loaves, anonymous notes, and passing smiles all make huge differences in lives around us. I think more people are lonely and sad than we realize. I know that more people are struggling than will let on about it for fear of showing themselves weak. We may be one, but we are one. We may not be able to do all, but we can do all that we are able. If everyone picked up one piece of trash outside every day, the world would soon be much cleaner. If we all picked up one person around us with a good turn daily, I know we would see a difference for good. Be the miracle with little kindnesses and recognize those done to you. I testify that it will bring you peace in time of trial and happiness when you feel unsure to know that someone else had a good day because you were part of it.