I was going to write a sort of year end wrap up and post it last night, but perhaps it was fortuitous that I was at my mother’s house and so could not access my blog. Perhaps it is better that I just post today an email I got in the last few days with a sentiment I so appreciate, a way to go forward into 2022.

The email was an email blast from a site/podcast called Sounds True. Sounds True was founded by Tami Simon and she’s the interviewer on the podcast. I have enjoyed many of the “new age,” spiritual interviews I’ve listened to. I also notice that during this time of incredible distress for the world and us, pockets of spirituality are sprouting everywhere. So I’m going to share this email with you on this, New Year’s Day.

Dear Riva,

I was on a solitary retreat in the Colorado mountains when I discovered how a very small action can make a huge impact. 

I had been meditating for several days as part of a 10-day solo retreat. And I had gotten in the habit of taking a walk each day toward the sunset hour when it felt like it was definitely time to stretch my legs and get outside.

On one of these walks, I saw a person in the distance headed toward me. I hadn’t seen a human being for several days, and I felt a strange adrenaline rise as I noticed him in the distance walking in my direction. This person I didn’t know continued to approach, and when we were about 10 feet away from each other, this stranger smiled at me with a genuine sweetness … and kept on walking.  

That was it; that was the small action. 

And for whatever reason (maybe because I had been meditating all by myself for several days), this human act of softly reaching out to me with a gesture of connection broke my heart right open.

Your words matter. Your phone calls matter. Your emails matter. Your genuine smile matters. The way you hold space for another matters. With the smallest of gestures, we lift each other up. 

Here on the last day of 2021, I want to remind us all that we matter … to each other. My sense is that we have no idea how many people we touch in small ways with huge impacts. Thank you for every act of compassion you share. I feel grateful to be in connection with you.

I’m committed to bring more kindness into ordinary days. Little feels more important right now. As Simon says, “With the smallest of gestures, we lift each other up.” As I have often said, even with diabetes, look up and see your possibilities.

Happy New Year