I love the word “insignificant.” It reminds me of my four pound chihuahua, Ginger. she has a lot of attitude for her size. The word, “insignificant” is the same way. It’s a big word and can have a big effect… if you let it. I also have Tootsie, a 95-pound German Shepherd, she’s loud and a bit obnoxious but the biggest chicken you’ll ever meet. She sounds scary, the UPS delivery man won’t even approach our house anymore because he’s scared of her. But Tootsie is scared of Ginger. She shouldn’t be scared of her because Tootsie could swallow Ginger whole, but when Ginger was a puppy she bit Tootsie on the nose. That sealed their relationship, Ginger is the boss, even if her size says she is “insignificant.”

We can get stuck in this same thought process. Thinking we have nothing to offer or we can’t help anyone. It’s like allowing a puppy to control us when we are the giants in the situation. The bottom line is that we can’t know what others may need from us. It could be a place to stay for a night, a meal, a reference for a job, a listening ear, a piece of gum, a random smile, or even just eye contact. The point is that there isn’t a moment of our day that is “insignificant.” Everything we do could profoundly impact someone else and we may not have a clue. So next time that tiny dog is barking in your ear, telling you that they are in charge and you can’t do anything for anyone… bark right back! Remind that little dog who is really the boss and focus on the fact that everything we do has a profound impact.

We are needed. Bark back and claim your significance.

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is a Behavioral Health Technician at RI International and the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer.