Today we had some friends over for a Lebanese dinner. Looking around the dinner table I counted four items growing in our garden or sunroom, tomatoes, salad greens, mint, and grape leaves. These contributions were a very small part of the meal, and we have a very long ways to go to be self sufficient in growing vegetables and herbs. But at least we are moving in the right direction.

Being self-sufficient, or as we now call it now days sustainable, was an important factor in the communities founded by Mahatma Gandhi in India. Gandhi gave special concern to every detail of living simply from spinning clothes to make wide use of cow dung. Prassad, our guide for the Indian pilgrimage, says how even the toothpaste he uses has some cow dung in it. (His wife, a dentist, claims that this toothpaste is one of the most effective types.)

A friend reminded me today of the book: “Small is Beautiful” which was a popular book a while back. I think I read it but all I can remember about it is what the title says: how small is beautiful.

Another friend wrote me in an email today how the small act of stopping recruiting and training for war and violence in our local universities does not make any difference in the big picture of the violence and war around us. I admit that our efforts to have Marquette University stop hosting the military are a small act in the big picture. However, I believe that many small acts result in a major change. Small accumulates into Big.

I remember when I was in sales how long it took me to establish contact or a relationship with customers. But after many small acts I had acquired a loyal base of customers and when I went to sell my business this good will was the only worthwhile thing I had to sell.

So the meal contributions tonight were small, like the mint, used for seasoning. But together these and other small contributions made for a good meal. Small is not only beautiful but small accumulates into Big.

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