What does it mean to be “great”? Important? Known? Admired? Powerful? All those and more. Children who have the luxury of growing up in “stable, loving environments” can dream of attaining greatness someday. But so many children around the world dream of survival. For some, the future is out there waiting to be crafted. For others, future means the possibility of tomorrow. As children, we take what life gives us and we dream. You? What did you dream when you were a child? Remember the words in a very popular song: “anything your heart desires will come to you”? Grownups learn pretty quickly that desiring doesn’t make it happen. Words like “work” or “effort” come into play. What does it mean to be a “great” person?
Yes, there’s a point here somewhere, and it’s this: Reaching greatness, being known as a “great” person for whatever reason that might be, doesn’t mean nearly as much as leaving behind a string of “little kindnesses” through the everydayness of life. Little gifts of generosity. Small tokens of thoughtfulness. Caring without fanfare. Words! Oh, yes! Little words woven into the fabric of life, words like: appreciate, or thank you or I love you. Most of us have never reached “greatness”, but the great people I have met over the years are the ones who left a trail of little kindness everywhere they went. And that’s the point: it’s never too late to fill your world with small kindnesses. And today is a good day to begin.
Don’t be disappointed that you never reached “greatness.” Every time you bless someone with a little word of appreciation or respect, or perform some simple act of thoughtfulness, in that moment you can honestly say: Not me, but Christ who lives in me. Little kindnesses come from a light within, and to have that light is to live beyond greatness.
Shining Spirit 
Your message reminds me of a statement I heard recently – “It’s best to be continually good, rather than occasionally great.”