When writing we are often told to use authentic detail.  It brings a piece of writing alive.  The butter colored daffodils, the bright blue sky peaking out between the white pillow clouds, the ripples of cool water swimming across her arms.  Instead of saying, “The man said,” you might choose to write, “The heavy set man with a mustache spoke in a thick German accent.”  These details bring the reader in, invite him to take a closer look, and maybe see what you’re seeing,  feel what you’re feeling.

And so it is with the details of life.  It’s those tiny moments, the ones easy to overlook that really make life special. The soft touch of a loved one, the crackling of the fire and the warmth on your skin, the perfectly prepared potatoes, the crisp speakers delivering such an accurate rendition of Dan Fogelberg’s “Beggar’s Game.”  It might be the sultry Sunday afternoons, spent with your great aunt Sarah, on her pristine white porch, sitting on soft green cushions, sipping mint-infused iced tea.

It’s important to pause and take notice of the small things in our lives. Savor them in rich detail and bold color. They may even reveal insights and gratitude we might otherwise be too busy to notice.