All the small things.

Yesterday I saw ‘The Hobbit’ and without ruining it for anyone, let me just say that it was great. At the end I felt empowered and whimsical and happy - some of my favourite feelings to feel.

Somewhere towards the end of my choc-top but before my Twisties (long movies are the best!), Gandalf gave a monologue that stuck. It was all about the small-things being the things that make life nice and lovely and chocolate-filled.

If you’ve read this blog before (or met me, which no doubt you have Mum) you’ll know that I am well into things that are nice, lovely, and particularly chocolate-filled. WELL into.  And as I get older, I am losing will and ability to hide it. Basically, I’m getting dorkier and I’m ok with it. (In an effort to prove this point, I took a look back at my original Facebook profile from 2008. Five years later I’m still quoting Frente! in my status updates... so apparently I was always dorky, and now I’m just ok with it.)

I’ll admit, there are lots of small-things out there that are less than chocolate-centered. I’ll reflect, just quickly, on a few of these things and then I’ll get to the point. Or at least a point (maybe).

Small-things that get, or have gotten, my goat:

1. Shop-keepers who talk to me when I’m having a bad day
2. People who let their dogs off the leash in areas where you aren’t supposed to
3. Seaweed when it’s in the shape of scary things in the water
4. Cappuccinos that don’t come with chocolate on top
5. Anything doesn’t come with chocolate on top, when I think it will (or should)
6. Pants that fit perfectly except for that annoying ‘gap’ at the back
7. People who swear at other people in traffic

I both resent and worry about people who swear at other people in traffic (PWSAOPIT). Do they go through their whole lives yelling at other people who make small-mistakes? How much of their existence do they spend unwinding windows and thinking up things to say that are both hurtful and swift? Seems like a waste of time and arm-energy to me. And surely it can’t make them happy (It certainly doesn’t make me happy when I’m the one being sworn at).

But maybe PWSAOPIT are really just the same as me with my poor attitude towards shop-keepers. Aren’t I just winding down my brain-window and swearing at them from my mind-car? (wow, Kathryn). They probably wonder why I spend so much energy moving coat-hangers so aggressively.

Perhaps the world would be a better place if I just assume PWSAOPIT are the result of small-things that have gotten their goat. Maybe they’d had a run in with some seaweed. Maybe they’d tried on some ill-fitting pants. Maybe their cappuccino came with no chocolate on it.

Or maybe they work in a shop where I’d got aggressive with some coat-hangers.

Imagine if Gandalf had decided Bilbo wasn’t worth any energy because of his initial attitude and wariness of adventure (uh oh, this could get dorky). There’d be no adventure at all, and certainly no reason to eat both a choc-top and Twisties (long movies are the best!).

I figure if Gandalf can give Hobbits a chance, then I can give people a chance. Even if they give me small-reasons not to.

That guy is a wizard, after all. So probably smart.

Me and my anonymous friend Rochelle. It's worth noting that I forced her into this.