April 2025

April Thought of the Month

"If you think you're too small to make a difference, spend a night with a mosquito."

~ African Proverb

It's a hot summer evening. The bedroom window is open and a cool breeze is flowing in. You're on the edge of sleep when that whine starts up. A mosquito is on the hunt. Distant at first, but it keeps getting closer. Now you're wide awake and tensing up, waiting for the inevitable attack. Then it's divebombing your ear, and you slap yourself half silly trying to kill the darn thing. Sound familiar?

Everyone faces obstacles in life that feel huge and insurmountable. We fear that there's nothing we can do. But not all problems are undefeatable. Sometimes the solution lies in going at it again and again, from every angle we can think of, wearing at it until it's manageable. Like the mosquito wanting a bite, come at if from different angles until you find an opening.

And if you can join forces with others facing the same obstacle, you'll share the load and increase the odds of success. Ever walk into a swarm of the vampires of the bug world? Two hands aren't enough to deal with them all. There truly is power in numbers, we've seen it in action with the recent boycotts.

No one is too small to have an impact on the world. The mosquito may be tiny but it can drive much bigger humans to distraction. When going after your goals, if you ever feel you're too small to make a difference, remember the mosquito and set your sights on finding ways to defeat whatever stands in your way.

[Thought and image design by Elaine C. Oldham]