A Speck in Time
Time...New Beginnings...Reflections
A vintage-style clock face, slightly blurred to suggest passing time.
As I sit here, contemplating what’s been on my mind and what I want to share, I keep circling back to one thing: time.
I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately—not in a heavy, serious way, but more in that “wow, how did we get here already?” kind of way.
This year, family milestones really brought time into focus: my dad turned 100 in August (yes—100! 🎉), September marked what would have been his 75th wedding anniversary, and July meant my sister and brother-in-law reached 49 years. Honestly, all these marks leave me in awe.
They also bring on a little reflection. I know there’s no way I’ll ever see an anniversary that big. The math just doesn’t work. I was widowed at 55, and I didn’t marry early enough in life to reach those celebrations. Clearly, not in the cards. But hey—maybe the stars will surprise me one day, and I’ll meet someone who makes every year together feel as rich and full as 75. That would be awesome.
As for 100—I do have good genetics, so who knows?
All of this makes me notice time in a different way. Not just in decades or giant milestones, but in the little things of how I spend my days, what I choose to share, and where I put my energy.
Three quotes have been echoing in my mind:
1.“The biggest in the world is small in its beginning.” —Lao Tzu
That feels true for me and my Mindful Art journey. It started as a deeply personal practice—just me creating to make sense of my own life. Now I get to share it, connect with others, and bring a little calm to their busy lives with it. It may be a small beginning, but it’s one I offer with joy, love, and enthusiasm.
2.“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” —Mother Teresa
That’s community right there. We can’t fix everything, but we can make ripples together.
3. “Mighty things from small beginnings grow.” —John Dryden
Yes. Sometimes the most powerful things start with something tiny—a hello, a smile, a single art workshop, a brushstroke. I hope I’ve planted at least a few seeds of mighty moments in the lives of others. I remind myself, as in Mindful Art, it’s not the product that matters most but the process. Small beginnings, given with an open heart, have the power to grow in ways we may never see.
So, what’s the connection? For me, it’s this: time moves whether we notice it or not. But how we notice it, honor it, and choose to use it—that’s what matters. We all know that/this (it's not rocket science, or even news), but by sharing kindness, practicing self-compassion, and extending care to others, I am reminded that we turn our tiny specks into something meaningful.
I find myself humbled by the big markers—100th birthdays, anniversaries, personal milestones—and equally grateful for the everyday and new beginnings. Each moment, no matter how small, is a chance to make ripples. And when I look at it that way, my little speck feels big after all.
