Wisdom story: When a small thing brings down giant ones

One night a small girl seemed very troubled to her mother while she was putting her to sleep. Just as the mother was tucking her in bed she asked her daughter what’s wrong. The little girl told her mother that today at school her schoolmates were making fun of her when she told in front of the whole class that she wanted to do something that would make a big difference in the world. The mother stopped doing what she was doing and lay next to her daughter and asked her to tell her everything that happened. The little girl looked down at her hands almost like she was ashamed of what she did, but she still mustered up the courage to tell her mother what was bothering her. “Well today, we had show and tell at school and I wanted to show everyone in class that how we act and what we do can change many lives. Just like we talked about last week mommy… remember?” Her mom smiled back and nodded. The little one continues, “Well before I could continue and explain what I meant a boy started making fun of me. He said that such a small thing as me can’t make a difference no matter what. Everyone started to laugh and make jokes about how small I am. The teacher calmed everyone down and asked me if I wanted to continue, but I didn’t. So I sat and waited for the class to be over to come home as fast as I could.”

The little girl’s mom was shocked about what happened, but she didn’t show her surprise. The mother started to explain to her daughter in a calm voice, “You see my little angel things like that will happen to you. Even though they shouldn’t they will. You need to be brave and continue doing what you were doing. Never change your believes just because someone doesn’t know or understand what you do.” “But mom I am so tiny! He was right, I can’t make any difference,” the girl interrupted her mother. Her mom just kissed her daughter on her forehead and continued, “Do you know the story of the beetle and the old and great tree?” The girl said that she didn’t. So the mother continued, “Great. Then coudle next to me and let me tell you how there was once a majestic tree deep in the mountains of Colorado not far from here. The tree stood there for hundreds of years, and people from all around the world came to see it. Back when Columbus landed in America it was a “small thing” just like you are right now. Then when the Pilgrims settled the tree was a little more than half-grown and it was already enormous.”

“During its long life, the very big tree had been struck by lightning more than teen times and endured other large adversities including avalanches and storms. However, it wasn’t any of those things that brought it down. What brought it down was a beetle. And today all that is left is a stump almost as wide as our house. Can you imagine how such a small thing as a beetle could bring down a tree that withstood lightning strikes, avalanches, and storms?” The little girl shook her head, “No, how?” And the mom continues, “Well at first one beetle chew its way in through the bark and started to slowly chew its way through the whole trunk. Soon many other beetles joined and did the same. Soon the tree’s inner strength was destroyed and it slowly rotted and collapsed. Leaving behind only a stump for everyone to see where a mighty tree once stood and to remind everyone that even a small thing such as a beetle can bring down a mighty tree that withstood lightning, storms, and winter ice. So my darling next time someone says you are too small to achieve anything remember this story, and remember all that it takes to make a difference is patience, perseverance, and one small thing that many don’t possess. And that is the courage to do what you want.” The little girl felt calmer and went to sleep. The next day she asked the teacher if she could have her show and tell presentation and for her opening pitch, she told the story her mother told her the night before. The story made a big difference to many of her classmates who now found a new source of courage and they tried many things they were too scared to do before. And so the little girl proved that even such a “small thing” as she was, could make a difference in the world for some.