Writers 
LITTLE THINGS MATTER A LOT
Have you ever thought about what the deadliest animal or insect in the world could be? Among all the animals in the world, which one causes the highest number of human deaths every year?
Some people might immediately think of alligators, sharks, elephants, hippopotamuses, and other large animals. But NO. Surprisingly, these animals account for far fewer human deaths than mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest animal to humans because they transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and others, contributing to hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. As tiny as a mosquito is, it creates more danger in the world than many much bigger animals. You can look it up after reading this to see just how significant the numbers are.
This got me thinking about how, in Nigeria, we often neglect many little things that eventually contribute to bigger problems.
Take voting, for example. For a long time, many people disregarded politics. Some would say, “Politics is not my thing. Let anyone who wants to win win.” But when the consequences became unbearable, politics suddenly became everybody’s business. Many people started rushing to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards because they realized that their votes actually mattered.
Hygiene is another example. In many places, people dump refuse carelessly and fill gutters with garbage. You can even see someone in a moving car throw something out through the window, and another person will simply ignore it, saying, “Wetin concern me?”
But when everyone keeps saying, “Wetin concern me?” the problem eventually becomes everybody’s problem.
Today, some places have become so dirty, disgusting, and irritating that you would not even want to pass through them, let alone live there. What looked like a little piece of rubbish yesterday can contribute to a much bigger environmental problem tomorrow.
The same thing happens in marriages and relationships.
Sometimes relationships break down because of little issues that were repeatedly ignored. I once heard of a couple who separated partly because of their different ways of taking Vaseline from its container. The lady would scoop it out anyhow, while the man would always come afterward and arrange it neatly.
She noticed that he kept arranging it, but she continued doing it her own way. What seemed like a very small issue became a repeated source of irritation. Things continued that way until the relationship eventually fell apart.
Of course, a relationship rarely ends because of Vaseline alone. Usually, small unresolved issues accumulate over time until they become bigger problems.
Having said all this, never neglect the little things in life. Sometimes, it is the little things that give birth to bigger problems.
But there is another side to this.
Just as little things can destroy your whole world, little things can also make your whole world beautiful.
A simple apology can save a relationship.
A kind word can encourage someone who is struggling.
Studying one difficult topic today can make a difference in your examination tomorrow.
Picking up one piece of rubbish can contribute to a cleaner environment.
Checking on a friend can remind them that they matter.
So, ask yourself:
What little thing have you been ignoring in your relationship?
What have you been neglecting in your family?
Which course in your studies have you pushed aside because you feel it is not important?
Who among your friends have you considered a nobody simply because you think they are insignificant?
What little thing have you ignored in your workplace, in raising your children, or even in your relationship with God?
Do not wait until a small problem becomes a big one before you pay attention to it.
Do not wait until someone leaves before you realize how much they meant to you.
Do not wait until the environment becomes unbearable before you realize that your little actions matter.
And never look down on little people because of their size, position, status, or influence.
LITTLE THINGS MATTER.
LITTLE PEOPLE ALSO MATTER.
AND SOMETIMES, IT IS THE LITTLE THINGS AND LITTLE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE WORLD BEAUTIFUL.