“It’s the little things that count.”
“Love is in the details.”
I chose a photo of the above artwork along with the two sayings above as the focus for this month’s post. The photo is Mother and Child by Chief Zacheus Olowonubi Oloruntoba a Nigerian artist. This work is hand-spun and died cotton cord. According to the description of the work, the dies were made from plants and medicinal herbs to imbue the work with healing properities. I found the work while touring The Kansas African American Museum while on my writing residency. I often tour museums as part of my research for my current project.
I marveled at the tiny details of this work, the intricate designs and patterns and colors. I could hardly imagine the time and patience and focus it takes to accomplish such work. (I have no visual arts skills.) This work demonstrates the power of tending to the tiniest things and their details.
I have been ruminating on those two expressions for a while now in an effort to not take them lightly and use them as a guide. The “little things” often make up the details or those less prominent features that others tend to gloss over and sometimes dismiss. I’ve been thinking about how paying attention to those smaller details that demand our focus and attention makes a difference.
Paying attention to the details can make the difference in who gets the promotion or who is accepted into a program versus those who are passed over. Paying attention to details can create a burst of creativity or lead us to unknown treasures while on the path. Paying attention to details can tend the places and people that we may have neglected or put on hold for too long. Paying attention to details can shift us away from mediocrity and “sliding by” to excellence, achievement, and “just how good can it/I get.” Tending to the details can make someone else feel seen and appreciated and thus nurture a relationship whether it is professional, familial, or intimate. Paying attention to details renews our passion and keeps us from suffering boredom and lack of interest. Lately I have found that paying attention to detail sharpens the eye and hones the passion. It also encourages me to slow down and be more purposeful.
Even with all my experiences and travels, I feel myself growing and expanding because I am paying attention to the details. It feels like a fountain of youth of sorts where there is often something new to experience. It reminds me to be even more grateful for the relationships and experiences in my life, and it helps me to develop patience and stamina applying them to the process of creating. This is a tidbit of wisdom that I will keep in my save file and pull up often. So far it is working!
How closely are you paying attention? What details or “little things” might need more of your focus and energy? Are you nurturing your passions and discovering hidden treasures along the way? What would it hurt to find out?
As always,
Be Joyful,
Be Inspired,
Be creative,
Tamara