The Little Things

Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about finding joy in everyday moments.

It began as I prepared for our first Just Be Inspired virtual gathering on the topic of joy. As I reflected on what joy means to me, I expected my thoughts to land on my two precious grandchildren- an adorable little girl now eight months old, and a sweet baby boy just one month old.

Becoming "Mimi" has been one of life's greatest blessings. Their smiles, tiny fingers wrapped around mine, and the wonder they find in the simplest things fill my heart in ways I never imagined.

But as I sat quietly thinking, something unexpected happened.

My thoughts took me backward instead of forward.

They carried me to the Meeks family farm market in Clinton, Michigan, where two very special people helped shape the person I am today.

My grandparents.

My parents both worked in the medical field, so my brother and I were incredibly fortunate to spend a great deal of time with Grandma and Grandpa Meeks.

Looking back now, I realize they gave me so much more than a place to stay.

They gave me a childhood filled with purpose, curiosity, love, and joy.

When I think about those days, it isn't the big events that come rushing back.

It's the ordinary moments.

Making signs for the farm market produce and assisting my cousin proudly running the cash register. Picking rhubarb from the garden before turning it into pies, jams, and jellies together. Ending a busy day around the table with card games and, if we were lucky, Grandma's famous "ice cream soup."

None of those moments seemed extraordinary at the time. Yet somehow, they became the memories that stayed with me.

As I look back, I can see pieces of my grandparents woven throughout who I am today.

My love of baking. My creativity. My appreciation for flowers and gardens. My curiosity and love of learning. My heart for caring for others. My love of farmer's markets and gathering people around a table.

They never sat me down to teach those things.They simply invited me into their everyday life.

And that's where the joy was.

Now, as I begin this new chapter as "Mimi," I find myself thinking about my grandparents often. I understand something today that I couldn't have understood as a little girl- that being a grandparent is both an incredible joy and an wonderful privilege.

It's not about creating perfect memories or fancy experiences.

It's about inviting them into everyday life- baking cookies, taking a walk, reading one more story, or simply watching the birds together. Those ordinary moments have a way of becoming extraordinary memories.

Our Joy gathering reminded me that we often rush through life checking boxes, supporting everyone else, and moving from one commitment to the next. But joy has a funny way of slowing us down.

It invites us to notice the birds singing outside the window, hold a tiny hand just a little longer, or remember someone who quietly shaped our lives.

Maybe joy isn't found in the big milestones after all.

Maybe it's been hiding in the little things all along.

As you think about the people who shaped your life, what are the little things you remember most?

I'd love to hear your story.