Author: haley montgomery

Small things.

8:50am
Well, I got up on the absolute wrong side of the bed this morning. Between travel plans and holiday plans and marketing plans, I’m feeling the stress, and I’ll admit that my gratitude quotient is running a little low. SO, I decided to come to you in real time (hence the time stamp) and see if I can turn this day around with a little giving of thanks.

You know how I love lists (such a nerd). Each year I’ve embarked on the 12 Days of Thanksgiving essay series, I’ve included at least one list of “things I’m thankful for.” You can’t enter the holidays without harkening back to that age-old kindergarten question at least once. And, although it’s not a Tuesday Ten or a Thursday whatever, I had already decided that “S” would represent “small things.” I’ve been expounding on the concept of “small” over the last few months with the launch of my new design business, Small Pond Graphics. It’s made me think about so many small things in business, in relationships, in life that make a big difference. SO, I decided to focus on those little things, wee blessings, that really add richness to my life.

And be thankful for them.

Just thinking about them is already turning my heart around today. Forgive the random order. I’m in real-time after all. Forgive the lack of numbering. It just seems better to dive into a brainstorming list. I hope it will encourage you to look at the small things (and not so small things) bringing blessing to your life.

8:59am
This year, I am thankful for…

The sweet cheek of Baby Girl against mine as I rock her to sleep  >  Little Drummer Boy’s spontaneous “I love you, Mommy”  >  Bug’s uncontained excitement about so MANY things. It’s contagious.  >  Oreos  >  Clients who take time to say “thank you”  >   This office space I’m able to enjoy each day  >  Technology  >  Newspapers from all over the world online  >  The correspondence of dear friends  >  Tangible reminders of special times  >  Electricity  >  Books  >  Crayons  >  Generous parents  >  Autumn’s changing colors  >  Cool weather  >  My new iPhone  >  The blessing of getting paid for doing something I love  >  Good timing  >  Loving and faithful daycare teachers  >  A kindergarten class that inspires Little Drummer Boy  >  Warm blankets  >  Drawings made just for me  >  iTunes gifts  >  Online shopping  > 15 wonderful years at Dux D’Lux Advertising  >  A mentor who told me, “you can do this”  >  Song in D Minor by Tokyo Milk  > Black Gardenia by Aspen Bay  >  Houseplants  >  Baby’s Girls new words — today’s was “shoelaces.” Go figure  >  Imagination  >  Facebook connections  >  Clients willing to take a chance on me  >  Enough money to pay the bills this month  >  Starkville Public Library  >  The Farm  >  Bug, who I brought home on Thanksgiving Day four [!] years ago  >  Thomas the Train and all the stories he inspires at my house  >  Encouraging words  >  Sunshine this morning  >  Kermit, the laptop — enabler of many things both large and small  >  Hand-painted pumpkins  >  The food my Mama will make next week  >  The blessing of my Dad’s stroke recovery  >  Healthy children  >  Giggles  >  Bedtime stories  >  Natural light  >  The opportunity to set my own hours, no matter how crazy they may be  > Lunch with my boys  > A change of scenery  >  Old friends  >  An open heart, despite circumstances  >  God’s love and continual grace each day  >  Kind words from strangers  >  A new day.

9:19am

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

Kindness.

I’ve been thinking recently about the value and impact of kindness. Kindness is big news at our house. Teaching it to my little ones could unfortunately be described as a battle at times. And what’s interesting is that unlike learning things like “don’t touch the hot stove” and “cat rhymes with bat,” kindness is a lesson that never ends. It’s a continual process. I often inundate my kids with admonitions like “be kind,” “kind words,” and “kind voice.” I try to convince them that regardless of the situation–for them, regardless of who’s taking what toy from you or who’s trying to wrestle you–you can always choose to act and speak with kindness.

Hmmm. Easy for a Mommy to say. But, I’ll admit it’s not always so easy for a Mommy to do. And since these lessons are often most successfully “caught” rather than taught, I guess that’s a problem. Why is it that we, as adults, so often lose sight of those simple acts of kindness?

With most of these lessons of cultivating gratitude, I’m finding that being thankful for something is the first step in appreciating and incorporating that thing into my life in a more meaningful way. So, I’ve been thinking about acts of kindness. The ones that have impacted me over the years. The things that were perhaps “easy” to a person at the time, but entered MY sphere at a moment when they added fuel to my fire. You see, we never really know when those moments are before us. We never know when some simple kind word or look or action inserts itself into a complex situation, bringing clarity and strength. That’s the power of kindness.

I’m thankful for the professor who took time to have a simple conversation when he learned I was leaving my pursuit of being an architect. His simple statement… “I think you’ll do well there,” began my career as a graphic designer with confidence.

I’m thankful for the friend who pulled some strings to find me a place to live when I needed to get out of a damaging relationship. Without asking any difficult questions.

I’m thankful for the mentor who calmly confirmed my decision to get divorced from my first husband with the simple statment… “I saw your light get dim with him.”

I’m thankful for the blog reader who took time to email a simple message… “This site crackles with life,” at a time when I was questioning whether this whole writing thing was worth my time, when I was having a hard time seeing that “life.”

I’m thankful for the unabashed and spontaneous “I love you” from one of my children, reminding me of why I do all that I do.

I’m thankful for the unsolicited recommendation of a long-time client, opening up new doors as I try to provide for my children as a small business owner.

The list could go on and on. One moment leads to the next in my recollection of those that have made a difference in such simple things. A gift of money freely given. A meal provided at a difficult time. The decision to cover the check at the restaurant. The compliment. The vote of confidence. The kind voice. The smile.

I’m realizing that so many of the epiphanies and “moments of truth” we ardently seek are not accompanied by lighting bolts and booming voices. They are often precipitated by kindness. Found in simple moments all around us. I want to show up for those. I want to give those.

Nature.

For me, no exploration of gratitude would be complete without some exposure of the natural world around us. It is perhaps the most exquisite example of creativity, sustainability, flexibility and undaunted growth that exists. It is a continual source of lessons and beauty and inspiration for me. My just-days-away-from 4yo Bug acknowledges that God made everything, and that He “painted” the world. I think he’s right. The Creator could have placed us in a bland and colorless existence. I’m thankful He chose to paint it instead with all that we see–vibrant and ripe life. There’s a lesson for me there. I want to cultivate the same level of ripeness and richness within and without in my little corner of the greater Life.

Enjoy these few glimpses of the magnificence of November.