The man complained that he hadn't found any gold. To this the old prospector took two of the rocks and smashed them together. He showed the young man the flecks of gold inside.
"But I want the big nuggets like the ones in that pouch of yours," the young man said.
The prospector handed over his pouch. When the young man looked inside, he found it was full of gold flecks. The old prospector had made a fortune out of the small, seemingly insignificant flakes of gold.
Too often in my efforts to parent and publish and serve and grow, I discount the little flecks of gold because I'm looking for the big nuggets. I forget that the patient accumulation of hundreds of gold flecks - a moment of laughter with my kids, getting a full manuscript request, bringing a smile to some one's face, adjusting a negative attitude - amounts to quite a fortune indeed.
What are the gold flecks in your life this week? Why do we disregard our small efforts/accomplishments for something bigger? What "fortunes" have you discovered in your life from seemingly small efforts?
