We know that increments of time such as days, months, and years are man-made.  A long time ago people went by the sun when they made plans or appointments, such as before and after sunrise or before and after sunset.  It goes without saying that a long time ago we would not be able to make appointments or plans far ahead such as a month in advance.  It’d be rather difficult, wouldn’t it?  But now we can make plans years and sometimes, decades ahead.

Usually, the longer the time span is, the more significant the plan is, and consequently, the more elaborate the planning will be.  There is nothing wrong with planning and preparation; if fact, it is good.  But there is something that happens to us when we become too caught up in long term planning—we fail to see the little things that occur in between now and then.  And we no longer fully live in the now.

Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, an expert in the study of dying, notes that in their last moments of life, most people do not actually recall the big events in their lives; instead, they remember the little events.  Please read her account, “What they tell you are very tiny, almost insignificant moments in their lives . . . . They remember little moments that they have long forgotten, and they suddenly have a smile on their faces. And they begin to reminisce about little memories that make their whole lives meaningful and worthwhile.”

The other day when Santy and I were visiting with one of children, we talked about many little moments we cherish in our memories, such as how she would write in huge letters whenever she hated doing her schoolwork.  It did not only bring smiles on our faces; it brought a good laughter.  As we enter 2022, we might want to remember this simple lesson: little is not necessarily less.

Pastor Paul