Big Things Are Made of Little Things

As I studied third world development and international relations in my undergraduate studies at Wellesley College and went on to study what education is and what more it could be with my Masters at Harvard, I figured out a whole lot of seemingly brilliant solutions to many vital issues.  I felt I was headed for great things.

But somehow I never quite got in the position to implement my ideas.  I did some cool things – worked in orphanages in Eastern Europe, did a little humanitarian work in Kenya and Bolivia, ran volunteer-promotion efforts nationwide, set up programs in needy schools, set up training conferences for educators….

As I struggled just to meet the basic needs of my children, I saw my personal need to be involved in the larger world drift further and further away.  I crammed bits and pieces of work for various worthy causes (part-time training and consulting for non-profits, service work for my church, helped a non-profit serving orphanages in Bulgaria get off the ground) in between naps and diaper changes and story time.  But mostly my life consisted of doing rather mundane and often unpleasant things for lots of noisy messy wonderful people with many mutually exclusive needs.

One day I read a quote by Mother Teresa that stuck with me:  “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”  Motherhood is perhaps the greatest example of a long, long string of small things that, done with great love and extra thought, can have ripple effects that go on for generations.

I came to realize that maybe my “cause,” my purpose in life, was right under my nose.  Perhaps mothering my own kids, helping make the schools in my own community better, being a good neighbor and friend, and learning from and helping the other mothers around me was a much “grander” cause than any other I could pursue.

While it’s true that my kids are informed about world issues and pray each night for the orphans in Bulgaria that we do a fund raiser for each Christmas, I hope my kids also are learning something it took me a whole lot of years to figure out:  Doing little things to better the world immediately around you and helping with the things you’re already PART OF is vital and beautiful – and often more personally satisfying than trying to impact big groups and sweeping causes.

Taking treats to a lonely neighbor is just as important as sending money to a lonely orphan.  Offering friendship to a left-out kid at school is just as important as giving food to a hungry child in Africa.  Volunteering in my own kids’ classroom is just as important as changing education systems.

AND… Helping bright, motivated moms find each other and share what they know is just as important as helping non-profits pool their resources and learn from each other.

The micro matters a LOT.  The macro doesn’t happen without the micro.  It really is the little things that count.

You and I can change the world, by changing our world…

One person, one mother, one family at a time.

Starting right here with you and me.

To learn more about Saren, visit her blog.

CHALLENGE:  Take some time to consider the ways that you can make the world better by making a difference nearby.

QUESTION: How has becoming a mother changed the plans you made before you had children?

Previous Comments (16)

Ricky
Said this on 6-23-2009 At 02:09 am

So true!
It’s easier to see the forrest than the individual trees, but it is on those one at a time trees that we will make a difference!

Tamra
Said this on 6-23-2009 At 07:32 am

Awesome and just what I needed to hear today! Thanks for sharing.

Katie

Said this on 6-23-2009 At 08:23 am

Great post! I learned the same lesson while volunteering in Cuba. I hadn’t had children yet, but I learned real, lasting change comes from lessons learned in the home.

Sharon Kaye

Said this on 6-23-2009 At 09:38 am

It is so true that serving our family may seem like a small thing, but really it is HUGE. Watching your children become good people in this world is a reward for all you have done.

Laurie Brooks

Said this on 6-23-2009 At 09:41 am

Saren, I enjoyed your article. Interesting perspective that has broadened my thinking. And darling photo! I love what you and April are doing.

Amy Miller
Said this on 6-23-2009 At 06:22 pm

Your article and pictures brought a smile to my day! I miss you! What (another) great work you are venturing into. What a woman! Tell Jared hi! xoxo amy

Lani Hilton

Said this on 6-23-2009 At 10:10 pm

Well written! Great reason to get involved with the Power of Moms. Thanks for getting involved and blessing my life!

Allyson

Said this on 6-24-2009 At 07:26 am

Love it! This is a lesson to be learned over and over and over again as mothers. Thank you!

Meg Talbot

Said this on 6-25-2009 At 10:34 am

Thanks so much for your perspective! I’ve had a hard time going from several volunteer/nonprofits in one community to not knowing where to help in a new one — and trying to figure out how to be happy while staying at home with my son. This was something I needed to hear.

Sarah Brooks

Said this on 6-25-2009 At 01:27 pm

This is a great site! So many moms can relate to having that dream to “change the world” and make it a little better because of something we specifically contribute. What better way to do it than by starting in our homes. If all of us can lift where we stand, the world will become a better place and our children will be able to carry that same attitude with them as they find their place in their own future family, community, and the world. Thanks for sharing!

Nancy Fairchild

Said this on 6-29-2009 At 04:43 pm

This is a great message, Saren, and an empowering one. Thanks so much….

Tina Anthony

Said this on 8-10-2009 At 08:56 am

Thank you for your insight. I didn’t become a mother until later in life, and thought that dream would not come true. Now I have 3 amazing teenagers, and I’m still not sure where the time went – it passed by so quickly! Enjoy them while they’re little – it may seem like a lot of work, but the rewards are great, and before you know it, they’ll be looking you in the eye (or in my case, looking DOWN at me) asking for the car keys! I truly believe mothering is the most important, influential job available. The trick is to remember that on a day-to-day basis…

Vicky

Said this on 8-14-2009 At 10:46 am

Thanks for this article, for the reminder that the work we do within the walls of our own home is far more important than what we do outside.

Shawna

Said this on 3-31-2010 At 08:47 pm

So I’m trying to think of some small things…providing a cup of cold milk to drink or a healthy meal, applying a Band-aid with a dab of Neosporin, reading a book with an attempt at acting out funny voices…I sure hope these things count for a lot. There are also so many small things I’m not doing. How can we be sure that we are doing all of the necessary “small things” to make our kids great?

Saren

Said this on 4-9-2010 At 10:52 am

Great question, Shawna!  I think we can quite easily get caught up in unnecessary small things that drive us crazy – like worrying about our house being perfectly clean or having our kids or ourselves involved in too many activities – each of which seem small and manageable – but added with everything else, they can end up being a “big thing” that isn’t really adding enough value to warrant the trouble involved.  We need to constantly assess what we’re doing and what value it’s adding, figuring out where to cut back and where to add emphasis.  If we think about how various activities make us FEEL and how they make our family members FEEL, I think we can usually see what matters the most.  What “small things” do you do that really pack a punch?

Shawni

Said this on 5-11-2010 At 11:18 pm

LOVE THIS Sar!