Bigger is not always better.
There I said it.
But it’s quite true.

This stemmed from my recent experience eating in a buffet in Novotel. For Sunday lunch, the food spread was huge and the variety was quite impressive, given the presence of some uncommon seafood for grilling (think Curacha, and no, not the 90s movie, among others).

At first, since I didn’t have breakfast to make space for this feast (am I the only one who does this?), I was like: let’s do this. So off I went to sample some of the items immediately: got myself a huge slice of roast beef, a plateful of seafood (only half of which I can identify)  and a bunch of baked veggies. Halfway through my delicious meal, my eyes started wandering around, looking for my next target. A part of me wanted to sample the rest of the eye candies on hand but guess what, before I can even go back to eating what’s left on my plate, somewhat I already felt full. What?! Paano masulit ang buffet (which happens to be the common biggest concern of Filipinos when indulging in eat-all-you-can restos, more so if they’re on the pricey side)?!

Geez. I should have remembered. Strategy is key to enjoy the sumptuous buffet spread more. I should have went around first to scout. Gotten smaller pieces. Took my time. And not ate like a hungry Viking having his last meal. Oh well, at that time what I did just made sense.

But looking at it now, I got to reflect about the times in the past where I got tempted to go for shiny objects, normally an upgrade or a size larger than usual, not necessarily because I needed it but just because I thought it would be a better deal for me.

Whether shopping at Landers or S&R for body wash and detergents which are big enough to be shared even to my neighbors;

Or when going for an upsize in my regular dessert, thinking I deserved it, while totally ignoring the additional calories and expense;

Or even when choosing a gift during Kris Kringle, my  eyes normally dart to the biggest, most beautifully wrapped one.

But hey, what I have come to realize is that it’s not the size really which matters.

It’s the intention. It’s the purpose behind each choice we make. 

Because small, medium or large, it doesn’t really matter.

Because enough is enough, based on your own standards.

Look at it this way:

Help, of whatever kind, still has an impact.

Growth, no matter the size or speed, is still progress.

Gifts, no matter how much they cost, are still thoughtful gestures.

Not all things have to be grand to mean more.

And to make the most of this lifetime, we should just focus on being grateful for whatever we have and whatever is given, taking only what we need  while sharing with others what we have more of.

Even the smallest, simplest joys matter.

And yes, that includes the food in the buffet which will never run out so get only what you can finish. Remember, the more you let others enjoy the food alongside you, the faster it will be refilled. Applies to life’s blessings as well.

Now at this point in time, I want you to reflect:

What small things in your life can you appreciate more?

What can help you become more mindful of them?

I hope moving forward, you get to look beyond what is superficial and just embrace things as they are.

For all you know, what you have in front of you, is actually larger than life.