St David “do the little things.”
'Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus' 'Happy St David's Day!
(Pronounced 'deethe goyl Dew-ee hap-is')
I have grown up visiting my welsh relatives in Pembrokeshire - holidays on the spacious beaches, crabbing in the harbours and coastal walks and every trip included a visit to St David’s cathedral (St David is the patron saint of Wales). I recently found out my ancestry goes 1000’s of years back into Pembrokeshire and North Wales and I have always felt a strong ancestral link to this land.
David was born around 500AD and what we know about him is a mixture of folktale and fact. You can find out more about him at the Cathedral website.
"Gwnewch y pethau bychain" are words attibuted to St David on his death bed in 589. Click to hear the welsh pronunciation. This means "Do the little things" . I want to draw on these words he shared on his death bed before he died on 1st March 589.
The full phrase is:
“Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do.”
There are many ways to interpret these lines and I invite you to sit with them for a moment or two, repeat them slowly to yourself and notice what stands out, what comes up for you…
Be joyful
Keep the faith
And do the little things
You have heard and seen me do
Below I share some of my thoughts and reflections on these words.
Icon of Dewi Sant at the saints shrine in St Davids Cathedral
Be joyful - I wondered if David was encouraging a way of life here rather than saying we should always be happy! Research shows that joy is cultivated through the practice of gratitude (Brene Brown on Joy and Gratitude). There is a difference between joy and happiness - joy can be layered, complex and even experienced in the midst of sorrow. Whereas happiness is thought to be more temporary and sparked by external factors, joy is understood to be enduring, a state of contentment and peace that exists within us.
Keep the faith - for me, this means keep going, keep believing in the goodness in the world, in people. Keep loving, keep living within your values and keep centering the love talked about and modelled by Jesus.
Do the little things - I love this reminder, that life is made up of lots and lots of little moments rather than grand gestures. Doing small, meaningful and thoughtful things, whether hidden or seen, makes a difference in the world. Being kind for example, causes a chain reaction of kindness.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is wasted.” Aesop
The science of Kindness has been well researched - we are wired to be kind, it makes evolutionary sense! Check out the website for The Randon Acts of Kindness Foundation and this video to find out more.
You have heard and seen me do - I love this too, these are not empty words by David, he has clearly lived by them in his life. I remember learning in parenting that it’s not what we teach our kids that they learn from us, it’s how we live, our behaviour and what we do that they learn from us… Words hold substance when they are followed by action.
Saint David welcomes me into March - with daffodils, leeks, welsh cawl and welsh cakes. It is a day of gratitude for me, reminding me warmer days are coming, that I have emerged from another winter and reminding me of my rich ancestry and that little things matter - they create a whole world.
The Daffodil is the National flower of Wales and symbolises rebirth and new beginnings and is traditionally worn on St Davids Day 1st March.
If you would like to take a pause this Spring, with guided meditation and time to reflect, why not join a Spring Online Retreat. Around the time we experience equal hours of light and dark before the hours of daylight get longer than the nights leading us out of winter and towards Summer. There are two dates and times to choose from: Thursday 20th 7-9pm GMT and Saturday 22nd 4 - 6pm GMT.