In our rush to achieve more in less time, we often forget greatness comes not by arriving at a destination but rather by enjoying the journey. When we do small things great, we not only achieve more, we also enjoy more.
Let’s take a look at how the day starts for many. The alarm sounds at 5:30 AM but since they went to bed late, they ask for “5 more minutes” of rest. The five minutes convert into 15 or 20 minutes and suddenly when they realize what time it is, they are instantly in a battle against the clock. They run to the kid’s bedroom and yell, “Time to get up, it’s getting late!” They run to the bathroom and do everything like a bat out of hell. They go back by the kid’s room again and see they are still sleeping. They shake the kids to wake them and then guide them to the bathroom still half asleep as they rub their eyes.
With this mission complete, they run to the kitchen to see what magic they can do with the little food left in the fridge. They haven’t had the time or the money to go to the grocery store and the empty refrigerator seems to shout: “Empty!” They find a couple of things to throw into their lunch buckets from what didn’t disappear the previous night into the 
mouths of their seemingly constant ravenous children. They go in search for the kids who are moving in slow motion. They finish dressing them as the bus calls and says it is already downstairs waiting and to please hurry because they are blocking traffic.
They run down the stairs because the elevator is out of service. They have the youngest by the hand and suddenly see the older one stops to look at a butterfly perched on a flower. “Come on son can’t you see the bus is waiting?” they yell. Without waiting for an answer, they grab the oldest by the arm as the lunch buckets fall to the ground. As they get to the bus, they see 10 cars behind the bus with irate drivers honking their horns and giving looks which could kill. They give a quick kiss to each kid and help them onto the bus with a sigh. And, of course, this is just the start of the day…
How can we change this cycle?
How can we change our perspective?
How can we consistently do small things great?
The alarm sounds at 5:30 AM and, instead of pounding it and snoozing it for five minutes more, we turn it off and become aware of the other sounds of the morning. The birds by this time have generally initiated their morning chorus and even the sounds nature are all about when we pay attention. We take five minutes to stretch our body beginning from the tips of our toes and moving to the top of our head with a brief virtual massage which gets
our blood flowing. At 5:35 we go to the kid’s room and wake them with a big hug and a kiss. We help them stretch and also teach them to appreciate the sound of the birds singing and the great wonder each new day brings.
We go to the bathroom and as we go through our routine, we are conscious of how incredible life and the human body are. We are aware of our teeth which grow when we are small and accompany us in spite of the little care we often give them and of our body which ingests, processes, and eliminates food giving us energy. We shower and take time to cleanse each part of our marvelous body which takes us through life. As we lather we give a brief massage to each part of our body waking it up and getting it ready for another day of adventure. We dry ourselves and give thanks to our feet, legs, hands and arms for the work they do daily without compensation.
As we prepare food for the day, we do it with love knowing therein lie the nutrients which will give us the energy we require to give our very best in all we do. We help our children finish getting ready and grab their things which were carefully prepared the previous night. We walk out the door with plenty of time and give thanks once again to our legs which enable us to go down the stairs because the elevator isn’t working. When one of our kids
stops to see a butterfly perched on a flower, we also move closer. We see the beauty of its colors and marvel in wonderful contrast of colors between the butterfly and the flower as it suddenly takes flight and we continue on our way.
We get out to the curb and wait for the bus as we cordially greet those we come across; a neighbor, the watchman and whoever happens to be walking by. We see the bus coming, embrace our kids and whisper in their ears, “I love you honey, make this the best day of your life!” We help them onto the bus and continue on our journey.
Those who are happiest are not those with the fewest problems, rather those who flow with each challenge which comes their way. Life is a decision. We can enjoy and achieve much more when we make the decision to live our lives with intention and continually do small things great.
∞ Rob McBride ∞
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