The Little Way
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” — St. Thérèse of Lisieux
St. Thérèse of Lisieux never expected anyone to remember her. She was born in France in 1873 and joined a Carmelite convent when she was fifteen. She didn’t travel far, lead any movements, or speak to crowds. Most of her days were spent in a small convent, doing everyday tasks with a handful of other women.
She died of tuberculosis at twenty-four. By most standards our culture uses to define success, her life seemed ordinary. And yet more than a century later, millions of people still read her words.
I’ve been thinking about Thérèse lately. The world feels overwhelming right now. Each day brings a new crisis, another outrage, another war, and more reminders of suffering we can’t touch. It is easy to feel small in a moment like this.
Many people I know feel exhausted. They care about what’s happening in the world and want to help, to make a difference. But as the problems get bigger, their energy fades.
There’s a special kind of grief that comes from loving the world and knowing you can’t fix it.
Thérèse understood something about that grief. One of the stories she tells is about a nun in her convent whom she found difficult to love. She never explains exactly why. The woman simply irritated her.
Most of us know what that feels like. Some people bring out the best in us. Others seem to reveal the rough edges we’re trying to smooth out.
Thérèse decided that every encounter with this sister would become a spiritual practice. She greeted her warmly. She listened carefully. She offered kindness whenever she could. Over time, the other nun became convinced that Thérèse genuinely enjoyed her company.
One day she finally asked, “What is it about me that attracts you so much?”
Thérèse was astonished. The woman had no idea there had ever been a struggle. She had only experienced her love.
That story strikes me as both beautiful and a little unsettling. Most of us want our lives to matter. We look for proof that what we do makes a difference, that our work means something. But the most meaningful changes often happen quietly.
A conversation changes someone’s day.
A kindness interrupts a loneliness we never knew existed.
A word of encouragement arrives at exactly the right moment.
A patient response prevents a wound from deepening.
Most of these moments disappear almost as quickly as they arrive. But this is where much of real life takes place.
Thérèse called her approach “the little way.” She was not suggesting that the world’s problems are small. She understood suffering. She lived through illness, loss, doubt, and disappointment. She found that love always comes through something specific: this conversation, person, moment or choice.
Maybe that’s why her example still speaks to people after so many years. She reminds us that being significant isn’t the same as being big or well-known.
The world tells us to wonder if our lives are big enough. Thérèse asks if our lives are loving enough. Those are very different questions.
Perhaps that is good news for those of us who wake up each day feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world. None of us can carry everything. None of us can solve every crisis. But each of us can choose how we treat the person right in front of us.
The little way begins there. It begins with the conviction that love is not measured by size. It is measured by presence.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where in your life are you tempted to measure your worth by impact, productivity, or visible success?
Who is the person directly in front of you right now who might need your presence more than your solutions?
What would change if you trusted that small acts of love matter, even when you never see their results?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer For The Little Way
God of small things, When the world feels too large, bring us back to what is near. When we are overwhelmed by all that is broken, show us the person before us. When we hunger for significance, teach us the holiness of attention. Let us trust that a kind word, an open hand, a patient heart, and a faithful presence are never wasted. May love take root in the ordinary places of our lives. And may we discover there the quiet miracle of enough. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
One Person
Today, resist the urge to save the world. Instead, choose one person. Give them your full attention. Call someone who has been lonely. Write a note of encouragement. Listen without rushing. Offer help without being asked. Speak a word of gratitude.
Be fully present to one human being. As you do, notice any voice inside you that says it isn’t enough. Do not argue with the voice. Simply return to the practice.
The little way is built on a profound trust: love does not become meaningful because it reaches thousands of people. Love becomes meaningful because it is real.
At the end of the day, spend a few moments reflecting on the encounter. How did it feel to focus your energy on one person rather than the whole world? What did you notice? What became possible?
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
My team and I launched a new experiment we are calling “The Commons.” It’s an online space centered around communities of practice: groups of people who share a common concern, set of problems, or passion for a topic, and deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis. Join the community here.
June 18, 24, 2026, 12:30pm ET - I will be joining Jackie Sussman on The Commons for a three-part series on practicing eidetics as a part of our “Reclaiming the Power of Imagination” series. Jackie, a psychotherapist, author, and leading expert in Eidetic Image Psychology, has spent over forty years helping leaders and individuals unlock creativity, uncover hidden strengths, and move through limiting patterns. During these sessions, she will lead a live Eidetic process shaped by mythic imagery, offering a direct experience of the work. REGISTER HERE.
June 16, 2026, 12:30-1:30pmET - Book Club in The Commons - FREE - We are starting our next book, The Glorians by Terry Tempest Williams. We will meet each Tuesday for 6 weeks. It’s such great fun. I hope you will be a part. All are welcome! RSVP HERE.
September 8, 2026, 7-9pm ET, ONLINE EVENT - I’ll be hosting a powerful online gathering on The Black Madonna: Sacred Wisdom for a World in Crisis with Matthew Fox, Alessandra Belloni, and Christena Cleveland. We will explore the Black Madonna as a symbol of resilience, liberation, sacred feminine wisdom, and healing in a fractured world through conversation, story, music, and spiritual reflection. If you feel drawn toward a deeper encounter with the Divine Feminine and the ancient traditions that continue to nourish movements for justice and wholeness, I hope you’ll join us. Learn more and REGISTER HERE.
October 18-21, 2026 - PREACH! 2026 Conference- I’ll be co-hosting PREACH in Minneapolis with Church Anew, a new gathering for preachers, storytellers, worship leaders, and spiritual communicators navigating what it means to speak with clarity, compassion, and courage in a changing world. If you’ve sensed that the preaching moment has changed and are longing for thoughtful community and renewed imagination for this work, I hope you’ll join us.
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
Fun Things My Friends Are Up To…
I get to work with such amazing, creative people. This section is my way of celebrating them—no paid promotions, just joy in what they’re creating.
June 16, 2026, 12pm ET - My friends at the Franciscan Federation are launching a new online community called “The Piazza.” This is a place for all Franciscan-hearted people to gather, connect with one another and build community together. They are launching the community on June 16. I hope you can be a part of their launch event. I will be there, for sure!
June 20, 2026 – ONLINE EVENT – Margaret Wheatley and Mary Daniels will lead a special three-hour online gathering titled Fierce Compassion: The Power of the Sacred Feminine. In a time marked by fragmentation, fear, and exhaustion, this program explores compassion not as passive kindness, but as a courageous force that protects life, tells the truth, and remains deeply rooted in love. Drawing from spiritual traditions, contemplative practice, and the imagery of fierce feminine wisdom figures such as Kali and Durga, they will reflect on what it means to stay human and spiritually grounded in difficult times. LEARN MORE + REGISTER.
June 22, 2026, 12pm ET - ONLINE WRITING GROUP - My dear friend, Meryl Marshall-Daniels, is leading a writing group open to all. This is a simple and spacious writing circle for people who want time to listen inwardly and put words on the page without overthinking, performing, or polishing. Meryl offers a prompt designed to invite reflection, imagination, and attunement to what is already alive within you. The practice honors writing as a way of listening, of letting images, memories, questions, and insights surface in their own time. Learn more here.
JULY 12, 2026, 8AM–8PM ET in NYC - My friend Monika Son is helping lead a powerful Buddhist-led, interfaith pilgrimage across New York City titled “Day of Remembering Our Interdependence.” Inspired by the Buddhist monks’ 2,300-mile Walk for Peace and grounded in the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh, participants will gather for walking meditation, prayer, chanting, ceremony, and collective reflection across all five boroughs, including stops at the African Burial Ground and the Metropolitan Detention Center where ICE detainees are being held. The day will culminate in a joyful community gathering in Queens with music, poetry, movement, and food. Participants are welcome to join for the full pilgrimage or any portion of the day. LEARN MORE HERE.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.