storer or sharer?

We have all heard the saying, "don't sweat the small stuff." I use to worry and fret (Oklahoma word) over the small stuff. Daddy would tell me, "to stop worrying, whatever is going to be will be and worrying about it won't change the outcome." Well, lately I have started to take a closer look at the "small stuff" in my life. What I've realize is what we call "small stuff" is the stuff that really matters and it's not so small after all.
Look around your world. Look at what you have close to you. Right now, I have a blanket, a bible, a phone, and a bottle of water. Those are all small items, but provide warmth, direction, a way to communicate, and nourishment, all which are very big things. What about the even smaller things? I'm talking about when Kyler hugs me and says, "I'm glad that God made you my mom." That statement always causes a tear in my eye. The way I can actually feel my heart skip a beat when Jack touches my hand. The way my mom can smile with her eyes, it is amazing. I promise I've seen how much she loves me and her family through the smile in her eyes. The way Daddy can reassure me just by looking at me and saying my name in his sweet soft tone. I don't know how he does it, but I hope I never out grow that feeling.
How can some thing be so small and simple, but yet have such an impact in our life? It reminds me of the rain drops that are hitting my window. A single rain drop is a very little insignificant thing, but when it combines with other small rain drops that single small rain drop has the capability to cause a great flood. Like the single small meaningless rain drop, the small things in our life, when combined all together, can cause a flood of meaningful emotions.
I could name a thousand wonderful little things that I remember about my grand parents. The one that stands out the most, I didn't spend enough time with them. I'm not sure if I really understood the importance of spending time with family until I moved away from home. Our time has become such a precious commodity we have grown accustomed to budgeting it, sometimes better than our checkbook. With everything we have pulling us in all different directions; careers, kids, housework, homework, grocery shopping, extra-curricular activities, church, family time, honey-do lists, and all the other million things we have on our minds, it is so easy to look up and realize it's bedtime and we haven't said, "I love you, today" to anyone. A small simple four word sentence that can make a huge difference.
I've realized lately that the "small stuff" isn't so small after all. I still worry about the little things, I guess some things don't change, however, now I worry that I may not be giving out as much as I'm taking in. The smallest acts of kindness and sweet words we say to others are sometimes the biggest things that happen to them in a day. I'm trying to do my part and remember to pay it forward. I'm working on becoming more of a sharer and than a saver. When you share a kind word or just a smile, you are planting seeds of yourself in their lives and you never know how the rain will make them grow, but you might be surprised to see how fast a smile will appear. That's when it really is better to give than to receive.