Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Very Little Things

The Very Little Things

Lately I have been inspired by the very little things that make life beautiful. It is hard to explain, but now and again I will notice- no observe something happening and realize the rhythm with which the world works. I haven’t many examples, just a consistent observance of the pendulum of life. The hills and valleys. The rain and sun. The frustration and elation.

It is a funny thing to observe the momentum of life sway to one side, find its peak, and begin to reverse. You know when you have weathered the storm and you know when times cannot get any better. Each pole as important as it’s opposite.

The little things: a good day, a bad day. Inspired by a book or movie, distraught about the news. A surprise visit, a dreaded goodbye. A free meal, an overpriced coffee.

The very little things: noticing extended eye contact that says “how are you really doing?”, becoming acquainted with a person enough to give them a hug for the first time, the sun breaking free from the clouds, waking up to the daylight sneaking through the curtains, hearing a song and thinking of a specific time in your life, tripping over an uneven road, hearing from a friend that you thought was lost, losing a friend you thought was near, losing sleep, sleeping in.

I watched a movie lately that was very inspiring, a little too “motivational speaker-esk,” but touching none-the-less. It is called “The Secret” and talks about the laws of attraction. Your thoughts and feelings attract what the universe brings into your life. Negative thoughts, negative things. Positive thoughts, positive things. Thoughts become things. As I watched this movie I realized that I have been living at least a little of what this movie is expressing. I have generally had a very positive outlook on life and just expected things to work out…and you know what? They do! I catch a lot of crap from certain family members (not going to mention their names- Mark and Kale) about how “everything comes easy, you never have to work for anything…good things just happen to you” and some bewilderment as to why this is the way it is. The honest truth is ignorance and dumb luck. But dammit I have the same decision to make every morning as each other individual on this earth, “Is it going to be a good day, or a bad day?” and following the path of my amazing mother and grandfather I choose the former…well I try to anyways, and the intention is the most important part.

Do you want to know the secret? How each day can be easier? How each moment can be a satisfying and fulfilling experience?....me too! But until we find that out, I think it helps to appreciate the very little things that life springs upon us- good and bad- and gain something from each interaction.

Thoughts become things.

Hal

4 comments:

Susan Iverson said...

One of your most amazing posts! You can have adventures in many ways, traveling around the world or traveling around YOUR world, without ever leaving your physical confines. I am so happy you have found both. Stay the amazing, positive person you are. Things will continue to work out for you. I love you. Mom

Kale Iverson said...

I'd like to say that genetically I inherited far more "negative" personality traits than you did. Unlike you, who positivity comes naturally to, it has taken most of my life to teach myself how to not only be positive, but stay positive everyday, I actually have to work really hard at it by constantly being aware of it, and even then, I don't always stay up, but I'll never stop trying.

Thoughts do become things, but the problem I always have with that movie is that I also think that we as humans tend to believe that something "special" is always going on with our existence. Its like our evolutionary trait to believe in something. I believe in something about half of the time. The other half I just feel like life is this random meaningless collection of occurrences and its up to us to make sense out of it if we want.

Life is certainly short, and I appreciate that because it forces you to appreciate it or not. And the people who don't appreciate life (and the short moments of joy), end up feeling lonely and depressed knowing that they have wasted much of it with their negative attitudes and experiences.

Thats why its time to come home buddy. We need to start building a home base to appreciate the shortness of life.

In one major way you and I both were affected by Grandpa/Mom, appreciation of the small things in life.

A perfectly thrown Horseshoe.
A crisp Apple.
A Flowmotion Lyric.
A hug from your brother.

Have a good trip to Germany!

Anonymous said...

Thoughts do become things.....

Anonymous said...

Chris is a big believer in positive thinking. He tells 'himself' he isn't sick, and what do you know....he isn't....
Alex does the same thing....hmmm, maybe they got something with that?!?
Jen

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