Once upon a time there was a little family in a little cottage in some little woods just beyond a little river.  And in this little family in the little cottage in the little woods beyond the little river was a big person. They weren’t really big to look at, no not much. But they did big things with their big heart filled with big love for all the little things. But sometimes, little people hurt the big people, and they become little people too, and hide in their own heart, because there is no-one else’s to hide in. They try to look after themselves, wishing they could be a bigger person again. But they only wish, and wishing is a little person thing, doing is a big person thing. They want to stand up for what they need, but instead they get walked on, and they tire of this and eventually become narrow minded and smaller than even the smallest family in the smallest cottage of the smallest woods beyond a river so small it’s barely a trickle.

Petty things become important, annoyances become plague. Sometimes, the once-big-now-small people try to say it’s okay for them to be small, they did more for everyone in a minute of being big than a lifetime of being small could do, they think it makes up for it. But everyone needs to be big sometimes. Everyone can help another person in some way, even if it is rather small. Hugs are free, listening is free. And what if you’ve no arms and no ears? A heart is always free, rent it to people if they need a safe place. If they graffiti your heart, disrespect it, tell them you don’t like it, try again. Make effort, believe in them, don’t give up. That’s what big people do. They do little things with big love.

And if they keep hurting you, take a little time out, but don’t be little about it. Care for yourself, but don’t be selfish in your ways, still hold that love. And if right now they can’t learn from the  love in your big heart or your little gestures and big meanings, maybe they need time. If you can do no more, do no more, but always believe in someone, because everyone can be a big person.

And I bet right now you’re thinking like a big person, thinking of a big person thing you did. Was it a few little words, a few little thoughts? A few little minutes? Did it make someone else happier, just a little bit, or at least help? Then you have a done a big person thing. And I also bet you’re thinking of someone who you don’t think could ever really be a big person, someone who did little person things to you and made you be a little person for a little while. And it probably makes you feel like a little person to be thinking like that. But that’s okay, just because anyone and everyone can be a big person, does not mean everyone will be. Those with little to give, still have something to give. Those with a lot to give think they’ve nothing to lose, and give. But sometimes, sometimes, where big people can grow a little person remains, no matter how many big people do big people things for them.

And I know you’ll hear this, compelled to be a big person. To do something nice today, ask someone how they are, or buy someone lunch, or give time to someone less fortunate, or even more fortunate, we are all as equals. But will you stay with this? Doing one big person thing sometimes is good, but imagine if you could do something every day? There are days where being a big person gets tiring, but your heart only grows to make room for more love if it’s needed. It is but one thing to feel the glow for a week, being a big person, only to become small again, it’s another to spend every day living as the biggest person you can be.

Remember, it only takes a little love to be a big person.