Notice the Extraordinary, Ordinary People

How many of you are lucky enough to have someone who is quietly amazing in your life? I’m not talking about the people who do all the things and get all of the awards, but those people that quietly SEE you and find small but impactful ways to make your life better.

I have been blessed to such a friend in my life, and recently I have been blown away by the still small waves of caring that she quietly but consistently sends throughout our friendship. When I got a positive Covid test and couldn’t go places for two agonizing weeks, she sent me a Doordash gift card with a simple note about how she hoped I’d feel better soon. When it was my birthday shortly thereafter (Covid cancelling my plans *sob*) she ordered breakfast and had to sent to my apartment as a surpise birthday gift since we had to torpedo the big birthday brunch I had planned. An when we were able to meet for past birthdays, she was the one who arrived early to set up a simple “Happy Birthday!” banner at the back of the booth.

Small things, really. But the impact those recent little gestures made on me was incredibly huge.

Her generosity got me thinking about how it’s really not that hard to take that extra step. Yes, taking the time out of your day to call or text when good or bad news hits is wonderful and should never be minimized. Yet how much more impactful is it to send an actual card in celebration of your bestie who just completed a monthly challenge? Or drop off some soup down the block to your mom friend with sick kids? Or sending your parents flowers for their anniversary rather than shooting off a quick text?

I don’t mean to say that our thoughts don’t count unless they appear in a material way. It’s about going the extra step. Taking those five minutes or ten dollars that you normally wouldn’t spend and giving them to someone in your life that you care about. In reality, even though it may seem a steep price to pay in the moment, it won’t impact you negatively nearly as much as it will impact them positively.

We always complain that we don’t have enought minutes in a day, but the truth of the matter is that we make room for the things that matter to us. Too many times we spend our finite hours pouring into things that can never pour back-TV shows, social media scrolling, gossiping… Let us remember that we are energetic beings, and the vigor with which we pour into others will come back to revive us tenfold. Take a moment to notice the extraordinary, ordinary people around you, and then do what it takes to become one of them.

Inspired by and written for my amazing friend, A.H.