The Little Things - Part 2
March 19, 2025
The Little Things Part 2
Some things are so small and inconspicuous that we can’t see them. Some things are microscopic and require magnification; other things are readily seen but are very small. In my experience, there is something precious about little things. I like seeing miniature horses and dogs, miniature houses and furniture, scale models of airplanes, and scale replicas of architectural buildings.
My first airplane trip was when I was nine. We took off at night and didn’t see the ground beneath us until hours later when flying over Newfoundland. As we descended toward the airport at Gander, I saw miniature hills, roads, neighborhoods, and miniature cars and trucks traveling. It took my breath away! I was above the world.
It was a wonder to see everything in miniature for the first time. From thousands of feet above the ground, everything looked like toys. I had seen pictures in my book, Gulliver’s Travels (Jonathan Swift) of the miniature world of the Lilliputians. And from the airplane, things looked like Gulliver’s world to me. It was as if I could reach down from my airplane window and “play” with the cars and buildings below.
Operating at Disneyland since 1966 and the Magic Kingdom since its opening in 1971, is the ride, “It’s a Small World.” In this Disney attraction, you are seated in a flying boat and look down to see a miniature "parade" of children from diverse cultures below you. There you are, suspended above miniature towns, farms and mountains; Over 290 million people have ridden the “It’s a Small World” attraction, which remains one of the most popular rides.
Getting a bird’s-eye view puts things in perspective. When we have a fuller view of the situation, we see its parameters, flow, and story. We have a clearer definition of what we have before us. If we are overwhelmed by something, a bird's-eye view lets us see that it is manageable. Or it shows us the extent of the situation so that we can adjust our capacities to deal with it.
When embedded in our relationships or problems it is challenging to get a bird’s-eye view of them. We are so distracted by the immediacy of everything that we often can’t see the bigger picture. Life is not a Disney ride… sometimes our bird’s eye view is not a pretty picture. To rise above a situation calls for power beyond ourselves. Sometimes, we must leave our routine and retreat from everyday life to see things more clearly. In spiritual life, we must detach from our ego’s perceptions and be willing to see the truth. Looking down on the situation from a spiritual aerial view, we may understand the real motives of others and ourselves. We may find that in the big picture, forgiveness is better than vengeance, that surrender is better than holding onto things no longer needed, and that curiosity is better than judgment.
In psychotherapy, with children or adults, a technique called sand tray is used to elicit inner power. On a tray of sand, and with many small toys at their disposal, the patient re-creates their environment as it is now. Then, the person reshapes that environment, changing the small landscape, and bringing in just the people and symbols (toys) they need to re-image their story. The person gets a feeling of mastery over a situation that seems too large to tackle, and too overwhelming to change. By symbolically rearranging their situation, new ways of coping and new pathways emerge.
Spiritual practice: Draw a bird’s-eye view of your current dilemma with all the players. How would you alter the drawing to make things healthier and more conscious? Now, alter the drawing.
Self-inquiry: Why would having things smaller than you help you understand more?
Dear God,
For the little things, I am so thankful. Amen
