Big Good Things are Made Up of Small Good Things

Or: I love my friends.

It’s been rough lately, and that has been reflected in some of my writing recently. Yesterday’s article was downright apocalyptic by many standards, which is a major indicator that I’m getting depressed again.

My mental health aside, when I post things like this, I am constantly reminded by my friends that life isn’t always as bad as it seems sometimes. Sure, things look like they’re on fire, and in a lot of ways they are, but there is good to be had in the world right now, whether the world at large or my own personal bubble. Even though it’s not apparent, it’s there.

One of my good friends in life wrote a comment on my Facebook post today that got me thinking a bit more about this, and as always, he’s full of good advice and poignant wisdom. It said, in part:

This is -why- we must continue to bother, continue to struggle. Because big good things are made up of small good things. And because if we do not struggle, there will be less good things in the world…The more good out there, the more chance it will effect you in good ways.

Yes, the world feels bleak right now and there is a lot of bad stuff going on out there, but there are always good things too. Whether it’s good things that I am doing, good things that others do, or just general goodness in the world, it is never, never all bad. Big good things are made up of small good things, after all, so even the smallest of good things contribute to the greater good.

There is good to be had in my world right now. I get to see several friends in the next week that I don’t get to see very often, which is reason enough to celebrate. I got good news on the personal front yesterday that made me feel a little better about life. Work is going better than it has been recently, which is nice. It’s not all roses and sunshine, but it never will be, so I’m going to simply accept my small good things today and try to enjoy them.

I am very fortunate to have a small but strong group of friends who make up my support network. When life sucks, I can generally rely on them to lend a hand, give a few words of advice or comfort, or sometimes just send a goofy meme or cat picture. In so many ways, life is made up of these small good things that we experience on a day-to-day basis rather than the big good things that come along occasionally.

Yes, we often remember those big good things fondly, like the wedding and graduation days, the birth of children, buying that first house, or landing that dream job. They are often such big events in our lives that they make the biggest impacts on us. However, these are things that don’t happen to us every day, so while their impact is large, they are often fleeting memories after a while.

That’s why, I think, the small everyday good things are really what matters more in life. The little bit of good news that you get to brighten your day. Waking up next to your partner every day, petting your cat or dog, hugging your kids, getting a good grade, or a positive work review. Heck, taking a walk on a nice, not-too-hot-not-too-cold kind of day can be a nice little boost.

I am dealing with my depression right now, and it sucks, but getting that reminder that there are small good things in life helps me get through. In many ways, I am incredibly lucky — I have a loving partner and a bunch of goofy cats in a comfortable home that I own, which is more than a lot of people can say. I have a job that I love that also happens to pay my bills well enough, and I find my work incredibly fulfilling and enjoyable. I also have a reliable group of good friends who are there for me when I need them, which is more than a lot of people can say.

Yes, the world is on fire, and yes, I am depressed right now, but I want to thank my friend for the reminder that there is good in the world, and that the big good things are made up of small good things. His comment, that lovely reminder from a friend, was one of those small good things that happened to me yesterday, and I am eternally grateful to him for it.

Be well out there.

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Here’s yesterday’s article, for reference: