small matters

For me, it has always been about the little things. My fascination with Miniatures started at a young age, but well before that, as a very small girl growing up in a very large city, it was the littlest things that made the biggest impressions on me. And like so many little things, it all began at home. The youngest of three girls, growing up, my size was quite modest. I remained the smallest in build, even when I grew to be the tallest in stature, and so for obvious reasons, my father’s nickname for me was, “Tiny.” True story.

Our family, and my parents in particular, were the center of my universe. My mother had the most beautiful, “golden” complexion I had ever seen, with the smallest, prettiest features that all seemed to light up when her eyes would widen and she’d gently throw her head back just before she laughed. My father had a voice that boomed when he was angry, but it turned to pure silk when he sang… and the man could sing. I use to think I could hear him humming his way up the street, even as traffic blared and people moved about noisily. Without a word, I always knew the moment he came through the front door whether or not he’d had a good day. Either way, I’d hug him up and he would hug me back, and as I pressed my face against his cheek, I marveled at the mustache that was trimmed to perfection; not a single hair untamed or unevenly cut. Ever.

Outside of home, there was often the feeling of being almost hyper-aware of the world around me. It was unintentionally noticing faint sounds in the background, even when those in the foreground fought for my attention. It was discovering that when I smiled at people I didn’t know, they usually smiled back, even if it was only with their eyes. Yes, people could smile with their eyes.

For several years, I have seriously thought about writing a blog, and for several years I have seriously talked myself out of it. How will I find the time? What could I even write about that would be interesting enough for someone to read… and not only read but continue to read? Should it be about Miniatures and the major part they’ve played in my life? Or perhaps I could approach it from a different angle, and my blog could be about the little things that fill up life - - not just mine, but anyone’s life… all of our lives.

Then it came to me one night as I left work a little later than usual. I was fortunate to spot a seat on a Bart train that wasn’t overly crowded, and no one was having an unthinkably loud conversation on a cell phone (!!) As I sat, I fished in the right-hand pocket of my trench coat for a piece of gum, and instead, I pulled out a tiny doorknob. Seriously? In that serendipitous moment, it became crystal clear to me that I would write about both. 

Here we go -