Small Things

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." -Khalil Gibran 

Little moments in a day can be great teachers. On this particular sunny, Santa Ana day, a child cozy on my lap was playing with the embellishment on my sweater. The conversation went something like this:

Child: " I like your sweater. It is sparkly and sandy."

Me: "Thank you. I like it too. It reminds me of the beach."

(I was unable to resist it at Goodwill because it was the color of sand and was embellished with little shells and colors of the water sparkling in the sun. The child was referring not to the color, but to the fact that I had been recently building sand castles and was actually covered in bits of sand, but we both shared the idea together!)

Child: " Oh, look a little shell came off in my hand!  Can I keep this because it is very pretty and you have so many more shells and sparkles to give to other children!"

Me: "Of course you can keep the shell. It fits just right in your hand!"

Inside, I was actually a little hesitant. My first reaction as I saw that perfect little shell cradled so snugly in that perfect little hand was to ask for it back so I could sew it

in its place alongside the other little gems in the place the designer intended when she created the sweater

But I was glad that I didn't listen to that gut reaction!

Sharing the shell was so much sweeter! The child's face lit with delight and that delicious smile was the "dew of little things" where my heart found its morning-
 and was refreshed!