There is a quote by Mother Teresa that I really like. “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

I have to remind myself of that sometimes. I tend to dismiss the smaller things as being less important. Over the years, I’ve become somewhat of a workaholic. When I feel like something is missing in my life, I often go to “work” and “achievement” to bridge that emotional gap.

Still, in my own eyes, I’ve never achieved anything truly great. And I don’t know if I ever will.

But what really matters is doing things with love. It’s better to do something small with great love than to achieve fame and fortune by screwing people over.

As I write this, I’m thinking of small gestures that I could implement more often: taking the time to smile and say hello when I’m in a hurry, listening to the cashier complain about how tired she is, offering to babysit for friends, taking a call even when it’ll interfere with my plans for the day.

There’s a quote by Maya Angelou that I also really like. “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

Sometimes, I need to concentrate on my attitude toward people: cutting them some slack when I feel taken advantage of, trying to understand their point of view even when I’m sure that I’m in the right, reminding myself of how someone else will benefit during those times when reaching out is inconvenient. In general, I need to give with more cheerfulness. I may do things with a smile, but I’d really like my heart and attitude to match.

I’d also like to show more appreciation for the acts of kindness that other people do for me. Maybe they’re making an effort when they’re tired or in a hurry. Maybe they’re going out of their way to show love when it’s inconvenient. I know that my husband has been really busy lately (and I haven’t always been happy with him), but he still bought me the flowers in the picture above. At times, I find myself focusing on the things that he hasn’t done. But, as I’m writing this, I’ve realized that I can spare a few minutes to write him a thank you card, acknowledging the small acts of kindness that he’s done for me.

What “small things with great love” could you begin doing for others? What acts of kindness have people done for you lately?