Although Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American Renaissance essayist, is often credited--not accurately, I'm afraid, with the famous saying, "Life is a journey, not a destination," I prefer Winnie the Pooh's take on the subject: "Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved."
Most of us believe life is indeed a journey, not because of the spectacular events we're so fortunate to encounter, but because of all the little things, the bagatelle we engage in and perhaps yield to, the pleasantries but also the challenges.
The French word bagatelle, whose first known use was in 1633, is such a useful if not somewhat misunderstood word. It can refer to a game similar to pinball or a light musical piece, but the definition most propitious to us is a trifle of little importance, better known as the small stuff of life. But, oh, how misleading is that definition, "of little importance," for it is the small stuff, the bagatelle of our lives that makes us who we are. I won't share my original long list of reasons for my beliefs, but, dear reader, I think you will agree with the top three and maybe you'll recognize the myriad examples in your own life that support these actions.
Number one: Possibly my favorite. The bagatelle we participate in strengthens our relationships, and it does it so slowly that we might not notice it at the time. Lately I have been sitting by the side of my husband who is now in a skilled nursing facility and is very ill. My dear friend Mary Francis drives out to Katy to have coffee with me several times a week, offering any support I may need, but a cappuccino and good conversation usually lifts my spirits right away. When I get home, my neighbors have trimmed my tree or put away my garbage and recycling cans. My daughters Kate and Rachel call me every day to check on me. The truth is, our relationships were already warm and wonderful, but they became even more so because of the little things we have shared over the years. And I must not forget all my social media friends who send love and hugs.
Number two: The bagatelle of life teaches us about ourselves. I might be aware of the things that make me happy, but because of my interests I learn more, I exercise more, and perhaps I even educate more, to myself especially. I always wanted to be a teacher--was playing school with the neighborhood children since I was eight, so the art of teaching is the part of my soul that loves sharing knowledge. My beautiful mother inspired me to bake from an early age, and the joy it now brings me to share cookies and cupcakes, birthday cakes, pies, and scones with family and friends is a great joy to me. Many years ago my husband Patrick designed a lovely garden for me and taught me everything he had learned from his grandfather about plants. Nothing could be more consistently surprising in its changes than gardening bagatelle, even the critters that inhabit it on a regular basis or simply visit from time to time. I was filling up our twelve bird/squirrel feeders one day when I found a little brown rabbit in one of the garden "rooms." She stared at me for a moment, then scampered off, but this delightful moment set the mood for the day. This morning I was feeding the critters once again when I heard a whistling sound. Five gorgeous black bellied whistling ducks were flying low over the garden, bringing their lovely melodies to my green world. Such seemingly small surprises always make me smile, but moreover they teach me of my love for this planet and its inhabitants and the care we must render if we are to sustain them.
And finally, number three: The positive energy of little things moves us forward past negativity. Working in the garden, keeping a journal, writing books and blog posts, listening to Gershwin, staying connected to people who live far away through social media, baking, walking every morning--all of these little things keep me grounded and help me remember the enormous store of blessings I have, that we all have if we will acknowledge the bagatelle in our lives. Sometimes a smile, a considerate gesture, birdsong, a baby possum, a first bloom, something so small you might not even notice it can be the catalyst for a mood change, and we all know what a mood change can do! My favorite Jungian scholar James Hollis is famous for saying, "Consciousness is as good as it gets." My own experiences have confirmed that over and over, especially as I become mindful of the precious little things, and perhaps these "little things" are after all the real treasures that comprise the big things in our lives.
