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Video by Thomas Meneguin

Chaplains Thought_Small Things

Air University Public Affairs

April 22, 2020 | 3:06

Hello everyone, today’s thought is on the importance of small things. When you think of the many factors that played a role in WWII, you might be tempted to focus on the massive weapons such as battleships, bombers, or the many technological advances that developed during that time. However, one of the factors you might miss is something incredibly small and incredibly low tech.
During WWII, radio and telephone communications were often unreliable, and it could take months for undercover agents to smuggle information out of occupied territories. So, starting in April of 1941, the Allies began dropping a vital communication tool in winning the war…pigeons. Over three years, more than 16,000 homing pigeons were donated by British citizens and airlifted into occupied territories. The aim was to gather intelligence from ordinary people living under Nazi occupation and have the pigeons bring it with them when they returned home. The pigeons were highly reliable, and some were even fitted with cameras for surveillance. The most valuable aspect of the information the pigeons brought back was that it was so quickly received. One of them flew 250 miles and is credited with saving over 2,000 soldiers. The intelligence brought back by another was so important that it made it directly to Winston Churchill’s desk. The Pigeons brought information to the allies of small resistance networks eager to help them and even played a significant role in preparation for the D-Day landings.
Though the pigeons didn’t win WWII by themselves, they are one of the many humble contributions that combined to bring a massive victory. Similarly, it’s often the small and low-tech things that combine to create great lives and deep relationships. It isn’t a big vacation or expensive gifts that make a healthy marriage. It’s the small, day to day things like handwritten notes or being kind that can make a huge impact. At work, we may also be tempted to focus on the massive project or innovation, but it’s the often-ignored small day to day actions and interactions that can be the most valuable. This week, I hope that we can remember the importance of small things like pigeons and kindness to one another, as Vincent van Gogh once said, “For the great doesn’t happen by impulse alone, and is a succession of little things that are brought together.” Blessings this week!