It's The Little Things That Matter The Most

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts.” – Winnie the Pooh

This lockdown, we have invested so much of our mental health. People have started to face the truth. People are in the process of encountering thoughts and feelings they have avoided all this time in their busy, happening lives. A lot of people are facing problems because of the very fact that they are becoming more aware of their thoughts, and they do not have the means to escape them. We, as humanity, are collectively going through these hard, difficult times. After all, it took a whole global pandemic for people to realize the importance of mental health.

I have come to discover a lot about myself during this lockdown. It has helped me so much in accepting things and coming to peace with it. I started exploring myself and paying attention to small details. I was shocked to see what I had been missing all this while; to see what I had been missing out on because I was too engrossed in my demanding routine. It took a whole global pandemic for me to realize the importance of small things in life.

I have often heard people talk about appreciating the small things in their lives but I never truly understood the concept of it. Seeing a rainbow in April did that to me. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. I could see a lot of people coming to their balconies with their family, just smiling and enjoying the sight of the rainbow. The children were so excited to see the different colors spread on the plain old blue sky.

This pandemic also helped people to rekindle their relationships and friendships. We can all agree on the fact that most of us have reconnected with an old friend with whom you promised to stay in touch with, but after that farewell, after you shifted cities, you could not live up to that promise. A few of my friends from school messaged me. At first, I thought it would be awkward. However, that was not the case. It is different with school friends because you have grown up with them and they know you deep down. It was so refreshing to go down the memory lane and have those “Remember when…” conversations with them.

We all went through stress and anxiety at peaks this time. The entire uncertainty of where life is taking us consumed our thoughts. At such times, I am so thankful to have discovered a way to calm myself down. I fathomed how we, sometimes, underestimate the influence of little things. I discovered how calming cloud watching can be. The color of the sky, blue, definitely does justice to the calming effect. Watching the clouds pass by and trying to see what shapes the clouds have taken, brings down anxiety and stress levels so low. It is a very fun and simple activity which involves you to focus on the sky above you. Your imagination of the shapes of the clouds would surprise you.

Then came the most awaiting part of summer: mangoes. Just the thought of mangoes excites most of us, isn’t it? Imagine the sweet, juicy taste of it; absolutely delicious. I unquestionably cherish mangoes and have them every year. They release serotonin and dopamine in my brain every year. However, it was different this year. I was not just eating it because it is tasty. I fell in love with mangoes this summer. I realized how happy they made me.

Subsequently, arrived the “wet season”, which also is the most beautiful season according to me; monsoon. The fresh, wet smell of mud, which is known as petrichor, intoxicates us and takes us to a high level of ecstasy. Enjoying the drops of rain kissing my body as soon as I step outside and dancing in the rain, I have learned, is a path to my happiness. Those mid-afternoon heavy rains that make my room all dark and cozy hits differently. Sitting in the balcony and having a cup of coffee while looking at the rainfall is also something that I found relaxing.

I miss my friends the most in these circumstances. Normally I do not enjoy texting much even if I am away from my friends. However, this lockdown made me realize how grateful I am to get a text randomly. A “hi” from my friend can take me on cloud nine. Getting a text that says “I miss you”, them sending a picture of a dish they cooked, the flooding of messages in group chats, getting a call from your friend whom you miss so much but cannot see them any time soon; all these small things make it so blissful. It is the little things that evoke such powerful emotions.

Even a compliment can make a person’s day; every time they think about it, it will bring a smile to their face. The more I started appreciating little things, the more I found myself accepting myself. It is a strange correlation but that is what I figured out. While writing this piece, I realize I have been smiling continuously, recollecting all the pleasant things that brought me happiness. Enjoy the little things, one day you will look back and realize they have done big things to you.