Picture of Mozella Perry Ademiluyi

Mozella Perry Ademiluyi

Be big, be little – you choose!

As a young student in Uganda, one of the many poems we were required to recite was “My Shadow” by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is amazing how effortlessly I recall the singsong manner in which I learned: “I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, and what can be the use of him is more than I can see…..”

Two weeks ago, as I was walking on the beach, you will not believe whom I ran into — my shadow!  Of course, my nine-year-old voice immediately began: I have a little shadow that went in and out with me! But wait, my shadow was long and not little at all – I was a giant (thank you morning sun!)

I remember the Benjamin Disraeli quote that “life is too short to be little”. Now, isn’t that a powerful belief to wake up to every morning?

We cannot remind ourselves enough to think big, and be bold not only in how we express ourselves, but also through our daily actions. What really is the point of being and doing otherwise – to make Mary or Joe more comfortable, or, is it ourselves we need to convince?

Go on…be big!

Mozella Perry Ademiluyi
speaker writer poet

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