A month ago, the planet lived at the rhythm of the World Cup. This event is indeed capable of bringing nations together while pulling on their individual patriotic heart-strings in the fair, peaceful and pleasant manner only arts and sports can do. The cumulative TV audience for the event is estimated at 32 billions while the German stadiums were packed with tens of thousands of supporters. More than 300 millions were glued in front of their TV sets for the finals!

Unforgettable moments, made possible thanks to… a spherical structure with a circumference between 27-28 inches and weighing between 410 to 450 grams. Yes kids, the greatest sports event on earth would simply not exist without this little invention we call the football.

In fact the ball is only but an example of the insignificance of size in life. Each and every creature or thing in this world has its own importance and this is sometimes inversely proportional to its size or perceived trivial value.

Let’s take this frightful chikungunya disease for instance: Is it not brought by a microscopic virus carried by a little mosquito whose eradication depends largely on small individual civic actions like waste disposal?

Is AIDS not a deadly, incurable disease which has claimed and is still threatening tens of millions of lives around the world in spite of its little name? Is it not true that simple measures like faithful love relationships and keeping off drugs or avoiding the sharing of needles for those who can’t get out of the inferno contribute to controling the development of the scourge?

Mahatma Gandhi was a frail, skinny, half-naked man; yet he delivered his country, thereafter known as the planet's biggest democracy from the claws of the British empire upon which the sun never dared to set in those times. It is interesting to note that his methods required no expensive warfare but non violent resistance action such as the ‘salt march. Millions followed the great soul to Dandi coast where he picked up some salt to defy the British unfair tax on this yet common condiment which made history in other situations as well.

Mother Theresa was a no less frail lady whose contribution in helping the poorest among the poor simply cannot be evaluated. Her congregation now claims more than a million followers who devote themselves to making of the world a better place.

Similarly the relatively cheap spices we use at home are unavoidable landmarks in the discovery of America. Was it not in his endeavour to find another way to reach the east, where valuable spices thrived that Christopher Columbus found America on his way?

Do you, kids, think that great soccer icons like Zidane and Ronaldo were born with leather football shoes by their cradles?

Yes, in fact there is no linear relationship between size and importance. You have to believe in yourself and give the best of yourself at all times. More importantly, in this great journey of life, you should never ever despise people because of their perceived unimportance - we all have our worth. Don’t be like Goliath because there is always a David in all God-loving, law-abiding human beings.

<B>Alain JEANNOT</B>