The greatest gift we can give to people around us is to be happy. In a state of happiness, we give our inner gifts with liberty and ease. And we each have this gift. It is not small or big, it just is. We might be driven to believe that what we give to this world needs to be huge. A mass change of great benefit across the planet! A revolutionary way of doing something that helps and touches the lives of millions. All this is what I have carried in my heart for many years. Nothing I ever achieved would be enough because there is always another level of "mass impact" that can be had. Gladly, I am unburdening myself of this task.

In the last few years of introspection and reflection, I have come upon a treasure. This treasure is the ever-flowing, ever-abundant source of love and understanding. One of the granules of treasure that I am more and more grasping is exactly the message entailed in the quote above. The author of the beautiful book, Little Prince, has put it so clearly. It is when we give of ourselves, that we do the real giving. And this is not to be underestimated. I remember the significant impact made by someone in my life when all I needed was to be heard. This person gave me the time and their emphathetic attention which made all the difference for me. This person gave me the gift of themselves.

I have found that in my life, the small things matter a lot. A small gesture of kindness means a lot. A single smile. A kind word. A piece of music. A brilliant view of the sky. A breath of fresh air. The soil under my feet. A wave from the car window (North Carolinians love to wave!). View of the relaxed kitty kat next to me. A kind email. A simple home-made meal. A quiet restful sleep. These things are indeed HUGE, world-changing for me. These experiences fill me up with contentment, inner-joy and just plain giddiness! And yes, I love to giggle just about anything and it makes my heart happy. In such a state, I know I am in a state of giving that is richer, more dynamic and full of life. Then all my gifts are shared with joy and gratitude. I am not here to make mass impact on the world, although, my making changes within me, has a mass impact on the world! My purpose is to stay in a state of joy.

Share your thoughts on this below. Would love to know what you think.