My sweet Mema just celebrated her 80th birthday, and to mark the occasion I asked all my family members to each submit short video messages telling all the little reasons they love Mema.
A friend (who is a total badass) then helped me edit all the messages together to make a truly epic love-fest of a movie.
All-in-all we compiled 80(ish) reasons we all adore Mema, but here are a few of my personal favorites…
My little brother said he loved Mema for all the beers and Tex-Mex they'd shared at 2 in the afternoon and all the pecans they'd munched together at her kitchen table.
My little sis hilariously called out Mema's appreciation of Shipley's donuts and a nice hot coffee.
My big sis told tales of Mema's epic shopping prowess and her famous 6-word-HomeGoods-adage when faced with a tough buying decision..."Put it in your cart, hon."
I highlighted Mema's next-level ninja ability at palming cash and seamlessly handing off $20 bills to her grandkids and great grandkids.
Ever since making the video I can't stop seeing the people I love in this way...through the lens of tiny slivers of appreciation for the unique things that make them, well, them.
My husband and I were folding clothes together on our bed the other day, and he put on one of his many Spotify playlists. Just like that a mundane task became this fun, soothing activity we were sharing. I looked up at him and said,
"I love that you have the perfect playlist for any occasion."
A friend and I were chatting on Marco Polo about her dating life and amidst her frustration with a guy taking her for granted, I shared with her,
"I love how amazing you are at anticipating everyone's needs."
I came into the breakfast nook to find my daughter at the table eating a giant plate of tortilla chips and honey. I laughed and said,
"I love what a self-sufficient 7-year-old you are and that you come up with the coolest snacks."
It's the collection of all the small things that make each of us who we are. Over and over again in energy sessions, I hear from Spirit how important our uniqueness is. We aren't here to compare and conform. We're here to shine and sparkle.
I challenge you today to notice the tiny things that make life sweet and share them with the people in your life. Suddenly what feels like strange or annoying quirks about people transform into precious gems that make this life interesting.
Don't forget to look in the mirror too. There's a goldmine of tiny joys marbled within that person you see looking back at you.