It's the little things... by Lucy Clark

I don't know about you but for me, it's the little things which can make the biggest difference in my life. Hopefully, these 'little things' are good and not bad. The little thing of finding your toddler has been quiet for almost an hour, thereby giving you the chance to get things done (good), or the the little thing of finding they've been quiet for so long because they've been playing with the contents of their diaper (bad). Thankfully, my children are way past those stages but still, the little things they do, the way they still hug me (but not in front of their friends) and tell me they love me mean more to me then anything.

I've recently come through surgery and whilst in hospital - even though it was only for 5 nights - it was the little things which definitely made all the difference. From one day being held captive by IV drips, catheters, drains etc to the next, being able to walk to the bathroom on my own - that little achievement made me feel queen of the world. Having people visit, receiving cards which definitely made me laugh (bad when you have no stomach muscles) and singing balloons from my fantastic medical writing colleagues - these little things made my time away from my husband and kids all the more bareable.


We never know how a throw away comment or something we perceive as inconsequential might help someone else. My friend recently thanked me for reminding her about the crock-pot (slow cooker) she had in her cupboard because now she (who hates to cook) has been making roasts and stews and casseroles to warm her and her children through the Aussie winter months. She's thanked me a few times because when she gets home from work, it's all done, it tastes great and it's healthy. I, however, don't remember saying anything to her about a crock-pot but I do remember her being at my house when we had ours on, bubbling away cooking Hungarian goulash. For her this "little thing" has reaped a "big" reward.


Reading books, watching tv shows, absorbing movies - it's sometimes the little things that happen within these, that can have the greatest impact. I am so incredibly in love with two particular tv shows at the moment 'Castle' and 'Dollhouse' and I'm finding, through watching the way the storylines are weaved, from listening to the turn of the dialogue, to watching the expressions on the actors faces, that my love for the ability to create has been rekindled. It's a well known fact that as writers, we need to keep those creative brains active, we need to exercising that imagination on a regular basis but on the occassions when life hits you (sometimes with very large fits) it can be very difficult to keep that imagination in focus. Trying to create when your world feels as though it's crumbling around you, doesn't work. The story ends up dry, full of holes and your characters feel as broken as you do. I've been in this place - quite a few times - and often, that's when I need to take a break. When you're a writer, you never really get "time off". The imagination, the possibilities of a story, the ideas - they're everywhere you go and the notepads you jot things down in are always in your bag, your car, by your bed. However, sometimes, the need to stop, to let someone else fill your imagination with their work, is what can rekindle that love.

Laughing along with the antics of novelist Richard Castle in the tv show 'Castle' has been great. The writing is solid, the characters well drawn, the dialogue is fantastic but above all, the reason I'm so in love with this show is that it depicts writers as being intelligent. Thank you Andrew Marlowe (creator). That's the 'little thing' which I take from that show and that one thing helps rekindle my love for creating my own stories.



In the latest Lucy Clark release, I wrote about a woman called Jennifer who has loved and lost and returns to Sydney, wanting to keep herself locked away, safe in the world she's created for herself. However, she doesn't count on the childish innocence of two little girls - Lily and Lola - who with their "little things" manage to burrow beneath the walls she's built around her. Along with the twins, comes their yummy father, Jasper who loves the "little things" his girls have kept in his life since the death of their mother. In pretending to be a big stomping giant who carries little girls on his back, to chasing a streaking four year old through the house to deliver her safely into the bath - Jasper's life has been filled with colour. Together, they all share these "little things" with Jennifer in the hope that she will one day be a part of their family.

What are the "little things" which mean the most to you? A hug? A kiss? An impromptu "I love you"? A satisfactory win for your team? Watching your children play sport? Reading a good book? Listening to a favourite song? How do they impact your life? And just how full does your heart feel when you receive one of life's precious "little things".




A signed copy of my duo "A Mother For His Twins" and the follow-on book "Surgeon Boss, Bachelor Dad" are up for grabs.

Lucy