Sometimes I wish I could do more. Actually, I wish that a lot. It feels to me like I am not really doing enough to help people. Sure, I am very friendly, and I am kind of cute (they tell me), and I do give a lot of love to people in my own way. But is that enough? There are so many people I see who have big problems – serious health problems, emotional troubles, financial stress, spiritual despair, and much more. I don’t think that anyone – especially not a small beige dog like me – could make enough of a difference. It makes me sad to think this way sometimes, like maybe there is no point to do anything at all.
Whenever this feeling comes up, my Mom tells me that she used to think this way too, when she was younger. Until she read something which helped to change her perspective completely; it was something that Mother Teresa once said:
“We can do no great things—only small things with great love.”
Mom tells me that I might not change someone’s life in a huge way, but then again, who knows? Maybe a lot of small things—done with great love—can add up to a much bigger effect than we can imagine. The power is in the great love that goes into each small thing that we do.
So each morning, before we walk into the hospital to do our healing work, Mom looks to me and says, “Shamzi, let’s go in there and do our small things with great love!” And I look up at her, nod my head, and wag my tail very affirmatively.
Small things become great things, when they are done with great love.
Small things become great things, when they are done with great love.
