I've always been one of those types of people who notices initials carved in windowsills or little smudges on the wall, but who fails to notice things like the color of a room or new furniture. Just ask the guys on my bowling team about how much I'm bothered by little marks on the approach. None of them even notice such things until I gripe about them.
It'd be nice if I had a more balanced perspective. I'd like to notice the big things, but small things seem to fascinate me more. They also have a story behind them that threatens to never be heard because the big things get all the attention. Small things seem so vulnerable--as if they could be snuffed out at any second. And oftentimes, then can be. It's much harder to hide a new piece of furniture than it is to paint over a smudge on the wall.
A few years ago, my then 14-year old niece stayed with me for a couple of months. We had a couple of battles about the amount of makeup she was going to wear. One day I went into the bathroom and noticed a tiny pink blob of makeup on the wall (probably an indication that she had on wayyyyyyy too much that day, wouldn't you say?). That spot on the wall has a story behind it. It's one of the reasons I've never washed it off.
So, while I'd live to have a more balanced perspective, in some crazy way, I feel like a champion for the small things in life. So I think I'll leave the big stuff to other people while I continue to take note of the small things.
