Mountains or Molehills - What do you Prefer?

I love idioms!

I love the way they ornament the language!

ICSE demands flowery language and so ever since I started teaching ICSE students, I have put in more interest and effort into collecting and sharing idioms. 

This week, while I was making ready a list of idioms for grade X, this one grabbed my attention. It is not that I had never come across this one earlier, it is not that it is such a great one to be discussed, but it may be because I have sensed and seen a lot associated with this one! 

I am talking about the idiom “making a mountain out of a mole hill”, which means “ to exaggerate”. 

Though we say, “Practice makes a man perfect”, man is by nature, imperfect! If we really analyze, we all have a set of good qualities and a set of imperfections. We may be good at something which others are not. In the same way, they may have some qualities which we don’t possess. So how can we really blame others for their imperfections? 

At home, at work, or with relatives/friends, we may come across this problem! We feel, we do things better than others, and others are not as good as us! Eventually, we will end up finding, or rather inventing only flaws in others! We may even end up developing superiority complex, which will do more harm than inferiority complex!!!!!!!!!!! 

Why can’t we just stop cribbing and complaining and instead help the other person to better himself/herself? Why should we always MAKE MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS” about their imperfections, when we obviously know we have a set of our own? Why can’t we leave small things small? Why can’t we just make lives happy for people around us, instead of making their lives difficult? What joy do we derive by torturing people around us with our words and deeds? Why can't we spread happiness around? 

Wouldn't it be nice if we follow this great message? It is really a wonderful message for us to embrace!

“When it comes to myself and my work, 

I give complete attention even to small details. 

But when it comes to others, 

I will not give any attention to the SMALL stuff. 

That way, I will excel and will produce excellent work 

and enjoy excellent relationships!” 

- Rangarajan, Alma Mater