Walking Among the Giants

There are little people among us.  I think that we forget this . . . that there are little people among us.  I know I do.  A co-worker recently had a few of her nephews visit her at the university . . . little, short people . . . children.  I saw the little people as they walked among us giants.  I nearly stepped on one because I forgot to look down.  Inches from crushing the child, a thought flashed through my mind, there are little human beings among us giants. 

                                     

My granddaughter is one of those little people . . . and, in my estimation, she is one of the coolest little kids I know; but, then again, I don’t know a whole bunch of children at this time in my life.  But, that does not mean they are not there . . . they are, lots of them.  Little, itty-bitty human beings walking in the land of the giants.  We giants need to be watching our steps.

That little epiphany got me to thinking . . . about little people.  Now, I understand that the term “little people” is used by those who are short in stature due nothing in their control . . . they were just born that way.  And, because they were born that way they have put up with a whole lot of discrimination, prejudice, and cruel behavior because they are different than the majority of people in the world.  I do not mean them any disrespect, but at the same time (and, I think they would agree), there are a whole lot of other people who fall into the category of “little people”.  These are people, who due circumstances beyond their control, are those who are deemed less than everyone else.  These are the people who are different than everyone.  Because they are different they are treated with discrimination, prejudice, bullying, disrespect . . . and, even to the point of death making.  Here are a few groups that I would throw into the category of “little people”: elderly, those with disabilities, the poor, the homeless . . . and, even women.  These are some of the “little people” who walk in the land of the giants . . . trying like hell not to get stepped on.

I think that we forget the “little people” in our lives.  I think that we don’t pay them much mind.  That we try to avoid them . . . ignore them . . . push them out to the outer reaches of our lives.  And, I think we usually don’t even know that they are there until we step on a few of them . . . only then does it seem that the “little people” get our attention.

One of my favorite Dr. Seuss books is Horton Hears a Who.  It is a book that deals with “little people” and a stubborn elephant’s efforts to stand up for them when everyone else ignores them and threatens to kill them by boiling the “dust speck”.  It is from this book that one of the most quoted lines is written: “A person is a person, no matter how small.”  The sad thing about the quote, as loved as it is, is that most people don’t put much into living it . . . nope, it is easier to step on the “little people” than to welcome them into the land of the giants.

Those children, running around our offices, reminded me of how scary it was as a child to be in the land of the giants.  How scary it was that there were so many giants that could step on me or hurt me.  How scary it was to never to be able to see anything because the giants blocked me from being able to see the world around me.  And, those children reminded me of my granddaughter as she begins her journey through the land of the giants.  I pray that the giants remember to look down, see the little people, and to lift them up so that they can be safe and grow.

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

We giants forget that we are giants . . . basically because that is all we see . . . all that we hang out with.  We forget that there are others in the world besides giants . . . little people.  We forget that we can make a difference in the lives of those who are little in the eyes of the giants . . . that we can help the little people walk among the giants . . . to have a life that allows them to be one of the giants.  We forget that we were little once too . . . and, some giant (knowingly or unknowingly) helped us.  In the land of the giants we are called to look down, not up.  I know my granddaughter would appreciate it . . . so would all those the world has deemed to be “little” in its eyes.  In the eyes of God, we are all the same . . . beloved children.  There are no giants in God’s eyes.