The Little Details

This conversation took place on the way to school a few weeks ago:

Joe: Mom, I've got my life all figured out except the little details. Want to hear it?

Me: Sure.

Joe: Okay. I'm going to graduate from CR Elementary, then from MR junior high and then from LP high. Then I'm going on a mission and then I'll play basketball for BYU. Then I'll play in the NBA.

Me: Do you think you'll be tall enough?

Joe: John Stockton wasn't very tall and he played in the NBA. He just worked really hard. I'll work really hard, too. I can do it.

So that's his life. Except for the little details. Little details like who he'll marry and where he'll live. Little details like what kind of family he'll have and what he'll do in the church.

When I think of little details, I think more along the lines of what to have for dinner, what book to read next, how many loads of laundry need done. But I guess its all in your perspective. Some little details probably get way too much attention while other little details don't get enough. Maybe it's time to really think about them and spend more time dwelling on the little details that matter.

So instead of obsessing over whether the stairs get vacuumed today I'll concentrate on doing something fun with my kids.

Instead of trying to find the missing episode of Top Chef that was replaced last week with a version of The Housewives of ... I'll just be grateful that I have normal wrinkles around my eyes and the lips I was born with instead of those scary caricature features I saw for a couple of minutes as I fast-forwarded through the show in search of my favorite chef.

Instead of worrying that people will feel sorry for me when I'm sitting alone in Costco doing a book signing, I'll remind myself that I have a book for sale. One I actually wrote and am really proud of.

Instead of stressing out about my clothes being a bigger size than I wish they were, I'll try to remember that I'm healthy and that about the only thing I can't do that I always wished I could is a really straight cartwheel.

Instead of obsessing about how to get my hair cut, I'll spend time enjoying the little detail of having family and friends that I enjoy and am thankful for.

My life is filled with little details. Some don't matter at all. Some make my life so much better. And some I don't know if I could live without.