Little Things

My dad once told me, “Gord, it’s the little things that give quality to your life. You can’t do much about major events like losing a job, health crises, or accidents but you can acknowledge the people who, in some small and seemingly insignificant way, make the road you travel through life just a little smoother, a bit more enjoyable.”  Christmas is the time of year that provides us with the opportunity to say thank you to those people in person or even to just internally realize that we are not alone and just by doing their jobs, they make our lives easier, more tolerable.

Blog entry #69 was about gratitude for “things or events” for which we are grateful, #70 focuses on people. Good health, which for 60 years I took for granted, has been less prevalent in my life for the last 20.  But Gordy Taylor has been blessed in so many other ways by members of my circle of life.

This will be sort of fun and effortless for me with the only hard part being unable to remember/mention all the wonderful souls who have been there for me. What’s fascinating is that there is no common denominator in terms of what people do but rather, just citizens out there doing their jobs.

Our mail carrier, Katy, cheerfully drops something in the Taylor mailbox most days and always says, “Have a nice day.” My only academic regret is that I never took “shop” in high school and consequently don’t know the difference between a conventional screwdriver and a Phillips. I’m Jackie Gleason’s “lost soul” when I venture into Ace Hardware for “mechanical” assistance as the home maintenance gene completely passed over me in school. Not to fear, I simply walk in and ask, “Is Frank here?” He’s always there to assist and hopefully gets a kick out of solving whatever challenge I bring his way.

We have a gas light in our front yard that stopped working. I was clueless, so I called Ron Purdum of Purdum Electric. “Sure Gordy, I’ll be out tomorrow morning” and he was. He’s the owner but didn’t bat an eye, and light repaired.  I’ve had the same barber for 40 years and I still pay him the same amount though it seems he has less of my hair to cut every time I pay him a visit. A haircut with Jerry Tyson is not just a haircut; it’s an event. We chat, we joke, we solve world problems, and he sends me on my way in grooming splendor.

You wouldn’t think a trip to the post office would be uplifting but then maybe you haven’t met Macomb’s Barry and Missy who answer all my stupid questions with a smile and send me on my way, postal issues resolved. Neighbors can “cut” both ways, good and not so good. The Taylors have been blessed. Jim and Marilyn Olsen have lived across the street from us for 25 years. They are ALWAYS there for us. We’ve spent our share of time away from Indian Trail but not to worry. Mail placed inside the house, garbage cans taken out, brought in or both. UPS, Fed Ex leave a package on our porch—It’s safely in the house when we return.

Banking can be a bit of a pain, but not for us. Donna Mason always has a smile, a kind word and the right answer. This summer we had a horrific scare regarding a computer intrusion. It needed immediate attention. A call to Donna and she was at our house in minutes, and everything was soon under control.

Last week I needed air in one of our tires. I had no idea what to do so I drove to Sonny Meredith’s garage, and he stopped what he was doing, corrected my pressure and said “Thanks for stopping by.” You’d have thought I did him a favor rather than vice versa.

Prescriptions, prescriptions, prescriptions—I seem to spend more time at Walgreens than I do at home. Between us, Diane and I occasionally have some bureaucratic challenges with insurance companies who are very good at finding creative ways not to pay. A pharmacist and his/her assistants could say, “Sorry, check with your provider” but not Caleb, Brittany, and Lacey who 95% of the time, find a way to navigate through the mishmash and send us on our way. We joke with them when waiting for a prescription or whatever. Where does that happen?

Heavens, even the refuse guys watch out for us. If I’m out in the yard when they are on pick up, we exchange peasantries and I toss a Coke up to the cab.  All these fine folks are just like everyone else, trying to do a job and just get through the day. They are doing what they’re paid to do, but they don’t have to do what they do with a smile and a kind word. I’m confident some of this has to do with living in a small town where you get to know the people who serve you every day, year in and year out. I get that but still, a kind gesture is a kind gesture, wherever you find it.

My guess is that part of this has to do with “reciprocation.” The Taylors attempt to let these wonderful people realize how much we appreciate what they do. While a thank you is in order whenever good service is provided, at this time of year, maybe you might consider going the extra mile if you haven’t already done so.

Yes, it’s sometimes the “little things.” It is time for me to “pass” these thoughts on to the person who will massage them, edit them, and hopefully make them worthy of your time. Thanks, Diane.

Best wishes to all for a joyous holiday season and 2026 full of good cheer and robust health.