Small Acts With Great Love

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Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love. ~ Mother Teresa

There’s a beloved story from the Jataka Tales—a collection of ancient Buddhist folk tales from India—that speaks powerfully to our times. It goes something like this:

Once upon a time, in a lush and peaceful forest, a little parrot made her home among the trees. One day, disaster struck. A wildfire broke out, and soon the entire forest was engulfed in flames. Smoke filled the sky. Animals ran in every direction, panicked and helpless.

But the little parrot refused to flee. Watching her home burn, she felt she had to do something. She flew to a nearby lake, dipped her wings into the water, and returned to the fire, flapping her wings to scatter a few drops. Over and over, she repeated this—flying, dipping, flapping—offering what little help she could.

The other animals scoffed. “What are you doing? Those few drops won’t stop a fire this big. You’re wasting your time!” But the parrot answered, “I must try. This forest is our home. These trees have sheltered us, fed us. You are all my friends. I can’t just give up.”

Now, it is said in the tradition that when a truly virtuous and selfless act is performed on Earth, the throne of Brahma—the god of creation—begins to warm. Feeling his seat grow hot, Brahma came down to see what was happening. Disguised as a mighty eagle, he watched the little parrot and was moved to tears by her courage and compassion.

And when gods cry, it rains.

The skies darkened. Thunder rumbled. Rain fell in sheets, drenching the fire and saving the forest. The animals rejoiced. The brave little parrot had done the impossible.

(If you'd like to hear this tale in song, check out Shabnam Virmani’s beautiful rendition of Saint Kabir’s ‘Aye Mhare Heli.’ The song begins around minute 5:40 of this video.)

There a many lessons we could take from this story, but it mainly reminds us that the fires we face—both in the world and within ourselves—call for courage and love. Small acts rooted in love, intention, and persistence can create real change within and without. Whether through kindness in our communities or the steady practice of mindfulness, even the smallest drops have the power to heal, to shift the tide, and perhaps move the gods to tears.

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