Friday, June 3, 2011

The Little Things Matter

Yesterday morning when I went to take my dog out,  I opened the garage door. Suddenly, I heard a loud CRASH!  “What in the world?” I wondered. I didn’t see anything amiss so I went out with Oscar.  When I came back in though, I saw a foot-long “pipe” lying on the floor.  Unsure what it was, I inspected further. 

Sweeping up the pieces of the garage door that had flown off, I discovered a screw. Apparently it had held the pipe in place.  So when it came loose, the pipe-like spring flew off, it put a hole in the ceiling. The hole was large enough that I could see into the attic all the way to the roof.  Thankfully, I hadn’t been near it, and nothing in the garage was damaged, including my car. 

Prior to this, I’d never even seen the pipe that held the door in place, let alone the screw that held the pipe. Only when it failed did its significance become obvious. 

I realized our lives are much the same way.  There are many things and people we often take for granted as we go about our days.  Yet if they weren’t there, we’d have a hole in our lives, and suddenly recognize how essential they were.  Or, we may have a background role in the things we do, but our supporting role matters more than we realize.

What do you often take for granted that, if it were missing, would  make a difference in your life? Don’t forget to join in the conversation.  

1 comment:

Cathy Baker said...

Great insight, Ellen. I'm sure there are many "screws" in my daily life that go unrecognized. The beauty of nature is one thing I've become very aware of in recent months. I've always enjoyed it, but just recently realized that to truly appreciate it, I must slow down and take it all in. Thanks for this great reminder. :)