There is an Aesop fable in which a lion lets a little small field mouse go after the mouse pleads for his life. The mouse begged the lion for his life. He promised the lion that he would come to his aid if he ever needed assistance. The lion laughed at the possibility that a little tiny mouse could ever come to his aid. But he let him go anyway out of good humor.
As the story goes the lion is caught in a trap laid up by man. He was whining and stating that he would soon die at the hands of a mighty warrior. He worked hard to try to get out of the trap but couldn’t for you see he was well entangled.
That’s when a little mouse, who happened to be scurrying about the forest, heard the mighty lion’s roar. He could tell the animal was in great distress, with much moaning that shattered the quietude of the forest. The mouse knew it wouldn’t be long until he would draw the interest of predators. He knew by the sound of the lion’s roar that it was he who had let him live.
Out of the goodness of his heart and knowing that he had promised to come to his aid, he arrives at the Lion’s side and begins to gnaw on the ropes. The lion told the mouse that he was a mighty animal and could not understand how the mouse could rescue him. The mouse continued to work until he had the lion free. From that point forward they agreed that no matter the size what mattered more was the will and ability to make a difference.
Just as the mouse came to the aid of the lion, we can help each other to become greater than we are. When we look at Mother Teresa of Calcutta, we see that same desire to aid others, no matter how insignificant we may seem. She took each day one moment at a time, helping everyone she could. Eventually, she had managed to make a huge difference in this world. We can do the same if we only try.
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