Stop overlooking ordinary things. Stop trivialising your needs. Stop downplaying little acts of service.
Because the things we often call ordinary are anything but. They are the quiet reasons we smile. They are the invisible threads that strengthen relationships. They are the little moments that make life worth looking forward to.
Sometimes, what changes a person’s entire day isn’t a grand gesture; it’s simply being noticed.
I once attended a class where the instructor asked a question:
“When was the last time you received a meaningful gift?”
It could have been a birthday gift, an appreciation gift, or simply an unexpected act of kindness.
Before anyone could answer, he asked another question:
“When was the last time you gave someone a meaningful gift?”
Then another:
“When was the last time someone acknowledged your efforts?”
“And when was the last time you acknowledged someone else’s?”
The room became unusually quiet.
Some people smiled; others reflected deeply; others searched their memories for answers.
It wasn’t just another classroom exercise, it became a mirror that reflected the state of our relationships.
At the end of the session, the instructor reminded us that the answers to those questions reveal the kind of relationships we are building.
That lesson has stayed with me ever since.
The truth is simple.
No one dislikes being appreciated.
Nobody wants their efforts to go unnoticed.
No one complains about receiving genuine encouragement.
Nobody gets tired of hearing sincere words of gratitude.
We all love to:
Receive thoughtful gifts.
Feel appreciated.
Be celebrated.
Be encouraged.
Be mentored.
Know that someone is genuinely rooting for us.
These things may seem ordinary, but they are not.
They nourish the soul.
So here’s the question.
If we long for these things ourselves, what stops us from giving them to others?
To our spouses.
Our children.
Our parents.
Our friends.
Our colleagues.
Even the strangers we meet along life’s journey.
Don’t withhold love when you have the capacity to give it.
Be intentional about leaving people better than you met them.
Carry out simple acts of service because someone may be praying for the kindness you can offer today.
Bring joy wherever your feet go.
Make your spouse feel special.
Make your children feel seen.
Make your friends feel loved.
Celebrate people’s wins.
Acknowledge silent sacrifices.
Notice the unnoticed.
And don’t do these things because you’re expecting something in return.
Do them because love is beautiful.
Imagine how you would feel if someone remembered your birthday without being reminded.
If someone thanked you for your hard work.
If someone publicly celebrated your efforts.
If someone simply told you, “I appreciate you.”
Wouldn’t that brighten your day?
That’s exactly how someone else feels when you choose kindness.
So let today be different.
Pay for that gift.
Write that appreciation message.
Recognise someone’s effort.
Say “thank you.”
Celebrate someone’s progress.
Encourage someone who is discouraged.
Become the reason someone smiles today.
Because the ordinary things aren’t ordinary after all.
Sometimes, they become the memories people carry for a lifetime.
Never underestimate the power of making someone feel seen.
“Do unto others what you would want others to do unto you.” — Luke 6:31
The Uplifter ✨